Fate of the Ancients
by achus93
Summary: The 5th Holy Grail War was held at the horizon, ready to rise again as another story is told. But this story is different. An unknown entity had interfered, and the result of that were the Heroes of another world that were pulled in to fight well awaited conflict. And with this ripple, the story of the 5th Holy Grail War will split off into a new direction.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER:** **Fate/stay night** and all related works and characters are the intellectual properties of **Kinoko Nasu** and **TYPE-MOON**.

 **Dota 2** and all related works and characters are the intellectual properties of **IceFrog** and **Valve Software**.

* * *

 _ **Prologue**_

" _Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg._ "

" _The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate._ "

Cyan bathed the dark basement as each drip touched the circle, the shade subtly shifting towards a greener tint.

" _Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill)._ "

" _Repeat every five times._ "

" _Simply, shatter once filled._ "

"―――― _I announce._ "

" _Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword._ "

The circle burned with orange light as power coursed through the circle, the black skirt and loose paper flapping as the magical energy filled the basement.

" _In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer._ "

" _Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead._ "

The circle emitted a blast of magical energy, sending any light objects flying as the room was filled with a deep shade of red.

" _You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!_ "

The final wave of energy crackled as the final incantations were chanted, causing the room to be filled with a light layer of smoke and dust. The summoner dropped to her knees on the now faded circle, lightly gasping for air from the exertion she went through. She brought the back of her hand to her view, an accomplished smile on her face as she inspected the command spells etched on it. "That was flawless! I'm certain I drew the most powerful card!" her hands balled into fists in affirmation as she looked around the basement.

She saw nothing.

"Huh?" she said aloud, her head going back and forth.

 _ **BANG!**_

"WHY?!" she cried out, running out of her basement in frustration. As she rushed up the stairs, it did not take long for her to reach to the door to her living. Bursting inside, she came upon a scene she was not particularly expecting.

Her living room, mostly in pristine order and condition, except for the dust and splinter that littered the room thanks to her shattered sofa that was split perfectly in half. And right in the middle of the mess, a woman with bright orange hair and dressed in an assortment of yellow and green, the tunic only being held at her midriff. The sturdy brown belt holds her green slacks, her lower knee covered by a light green guard. The woman's bare feet showed that she did not come with shoes. Covering the woman's shoulders was an enchanting, possibly magical cape that seemed to blend with the air as its lightly woven fabric emanated a power the summoner was not familiar with.

"Ow ow, ow. Ow ow." The woman croaked out, rubbing the small of her back as she got herself up off the mess she was in. The summoner carefully inspected the head that was on those shoulders. Messy ginger hair reaching just above her shoulders, a green fabric wrapped around her head and left eye as a makeshift eye patch.

The summoner, Tohsaka Rin, shook her head when she noticed that she had been staring for a bit too long, coughing to catch the woman's attention.

The ginger's widening eye fell on her, a brief look of surprise on her face before a small smile took its place as she kneeled before her. "Servant Archer, answering your summons." The servant looked up, the smile still on her face. "I ask of you, are you my master?"

Rin stood before her servant, stunned silent as Archer got up to her feet. "Eh, is that not how you do it? Did I do something wrong?" Archer asked, scratching her cheek with a nervous chuckle.

Broken out of her momentary stupor, Rin shook her head before addressing her servant. "Yes, I am your master." She said, flashing her command spells as confusion graced her face. "Wait. Archer?"

"Yes?" her servant replied.

"No, no. You said you're Archer?" Rin asked, a lump of nervousness rising up her throat.

"Yes I am. Servant Archer, at your service." Archer replied, bowing before her. "I could show you my bow if you want."

"No, it's not that." Rin turned her attention elsewhere from her servant, arms crossed and her thumb before her lips. "How? How did I not get Saber? I did everything right. I even stayed up till 2 in the morning where I am at my strongest."

"It's a little over 1 right now, Master." Rin spun on her heel to face her servant upon hearing those damning words.

"Wh-what? No, impossible. I've prepared everything for it. Look, it's 2 o'clock right now." She stammered, gesturing towards the grandfather clock at the corner of the living room.

Her servant shook her head. "Master, I don't need to be outside to tell you that it's not 2 o'clock. It's 1, trust me."

"It can't be, no. It's-" Rin's eyes widened when she remembered. It in fact was _not_ 2 o'clock, because she all the clocks had been moved an hour later. Her shoulders sagged upon the realization of how much she messed up.

"Uh, I'm sorry I'm not a Saber." Her servant said upon noticing the drop in her master's mood. She held back her efforts when Rin raised her hand to her.

"It's fine Archer. It's my fault. Any sort of blame lays on me for this mistake." Rin stated, messaging her forehead before her hands moved to the side of her head. "Ah! Why do I always mess up when it matters?!"

"Don't worry Master, I assure you; even though I'm not a Saber, I am one hell of a servant!" Rin looked up at her servant, feeling herself being brought along by Archer's cheerfulness. "Now, why don't you sleep the night away. No doubt you're feeling exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Then the both of us can formally get to know each other." Archer said with her hand on Rin's shoulder, a bright beaming smile on her face.

The master gave an unsure glance at the mess in the middle of her living room. "Don't worry, I'll clean up the mess. You just get a good night's rest, m'kay?"

Rin sighed, her body language telling that she was relenting. "Alright Archer. I'll see you in the morning." She said, turning to leave.

"Goodnight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Archer said, her voice muffled when the door closed behind Rin.

It wasn't long before Rin was in her room, dressed in her sleepwear with the lights out walking towards her bed. She crawled under her blanket, resting her head on the pillow as she hugged the blanket around her tighter. Despite the disappointment she harbored, all of it towards herself, her servant's reassuring words had calmed her down. Her body relaxing as she wind down for the day, her eyes fluttering. "Father…" she said to her pillow before sleep took her.

"The battle I've been waiting for ten years is about to begin." Her voice nary a whisper. "My Holy Grail War…" she let out, her eyelids finally closing for the night.

* * *

09:05

That was the number on the clock she held in her hands, looking down on it with her groggy eyes and messy hair in the late morning. The bright morning sun shone through the curtains to her bedroom, accompanied by the chirping the of early morning birds that sung that day. "This is way beyond running late." She muttered, letting out a defeated sigh. "I'll just skip school today." She said, setting the clock aside, her eyes closing for a moment.

They opened again, glancing at her intact Command Spells. She raised her hand. "Right, it was Archer I summoned, not Saber. I hope everything's alright, after what happened last night. Ah, I feel a migraine brewing." She said, clutching the side of her head.

With her morning woes set aside, she made her way out of her bedroom and towards the living room. She paused her movement upon descending the staircase, holding herself steady on the railing. "I'm exhausted. Did the summoning drain all my energy?" she commented to herself, before continuing down.

She entered her living room still in a half asleep state, but the moment her eyes scanned the room, her mind instantly woke up. It was no longer a mess. The floor was immaculate, the coffee table set back in place along with the armchairs, and her sofa was fixed. "Wow, she kept her word."

"Good morning sleepyhead!"

Rin glanced at the archway towards her kitchen, seeing her servant carrying a tray with what could be described as morning essentials. "It's a good thing you're finally up, Master. A little later and I would've been worried." She said with a bright smile.

"I hope my work's up to snuff. It was a bit difficult looking for parts." Her servant said as she poured tea for Rin, who had seated herself on the fixed sofa.

"It's great. Almost as good as new. In fact, I'm sure most people would think that it is." Rin replied genuinely as she picked up the cup. She took a sip of the brew. "It's good."

"Glad you liked it." Archer said, sitting on the armchair beside her. "So, while you liven up a bit, shall we get started?"

Rin nodded as she took another sip of the herbal tea before placing the cup back on the coaster. "Right, I guess we should formally introduce ourselves, right. My name is Tohsaka Rin. Call me whatever you wish."

'Tohsaka Rin, huh? That's a nice name. Rin. " _Rin._ " Yeah, let's go with that!" If Archer had gone on longer, Rin would've felt her cheeks redden.

"And what about you, Archer?" Rin asked, her hands back to the tea on the table.

The ginger gave her master a bright, sunny smile. "My name is Lyralei. But most people knew me as the Windranger."

Rin raised her brow at the introduction, before going through her mind, trying to see if she could recall who this "Lyralei" is. She had prepared herself for this day, so coming up with a blank slightly frustrated her. "Lyralei, huh? I'm sorry, Archer. It appears that I don't know who you are."

"That's the thing, Rin." Archer's tone became lower, her smile disappearing as she took on a more serious air. Rin noticed it immediately. "Another reason why I asked you to go to bed so soon was so I could read up the history. And, as much as it pains me to say this, I don't think I'm from this world."

Rin set the cup back down on the table. "What?" she asked, as it was the first question in her mind. "What do you mean? How so?"

Archer shrugged her shoulders unsurely. "Call it a gut feeling, really, because I felt something was off when I was summoned. And I don't mean about the things involving you, Rin." She said, gesturing towards the Master. "So, the moment you stepped inside your bedroom, I went to work. I went through your library, rifling through each book just trying to find anything that had anything to do with me. When that gave me nothing, I left your house and sneaked inside someone else's abode and used their computer, again sea-"

"You can use a computer?" Rin asked perplexed.

Archer was momentarily speechless by the out of the blue question she got from her Master. "A bit. The Grail was quite handy in giving us relevant information. Anyway, going back to our previous topic, I used their computer to search anything that's relevant to me, and my world. I even used your books too, just to compare how "relevant" something is. And I got nothing."

"From you?" Rin asked, a trickle of nervous sweat falling down her forehead.

"Yes." Archer leaned in closer towards her, her elbows on her knees while she rested her head on the back of her hands. "Not even things that are tangibly related. Just getting nothing. Even using your magecraft terms netted me some tangible results that had nothing to do with magecraft."

"Maybe you're an exception, then?" Rin said, offering her thought.

"Maybe. I'm just letting you know right now, so we won't have to go through any possible awkwardness that would come." Archer admitted.

"You sure are quite willing to share such heavy secrets here, Archer." Rin said as she processed all of the information that was presented to her.

"Of course." Archer declared resolutely. "If we are to cooperate, it'd be best if we both are on the same level, lest we end up carrying each other's slack. Remember Rin, Teamwork makes the Dream work." Archer said with a bright smile that surprised Rin.

She sighed, but a hint of a smile formed on the edge of her lips. "Well, it's great that I have such a trustworthy servant then." She said, standing up from the sofa. "Alright then, Archer. Get ready for an outing. I'll show you around the city."

"You're not gonna ask more about me?" Archer asked.

"It's unfortunate that I do not know who you are, that's for sure, but if I am to ask you on your capabilities, I think it'd be best if we were somewhere where you can show me your capabilities, so I can properly evaluate you." Rin explained, a proud smirk formed on her face.

"Alrighty then!" her servant responded, standing up herself. Rin noted that her servant stood a full head taller than her. "I'll see you outside, Rin!"

* * *

It was long till the hours ticked by and the sun set over the horizon, covering Fuyuki in its orange haze as the lip of the moon slowly showed itself. They covered the suburban streets of Miyama Town and the sleek, yet almost artificial districts of Shinto. Nothing was left out, from the small coffee shops, to the harbor itself.

"This is the Fuyuki Central Park." Rin announced, the sound of dry grass audible with each of her step. "We've covered most of the important places. What do you think?" she asked her servant, who was in astral form.

" _Well… it's big?_ " Archer answered, followed by a nervous chuckle. " _Rin, I'm normally one for nature and all, but this place doesn't feel right. Is there a reason why it's so empty?_ "

"You noticed it too, huh?" Rin responded, her gaze scanning the empty park. "There's a bit of a history to it. They say this place was consumed by a huge fire ten years ago. Most of Shinto was rebuilt, yet for some reason this land was left on its own. They turned it into a park because there was nothing but burnt ruins all around."

Hearing the sigh coming from her astralized servant, Rin continued. "Figured it out? Yeah, this was where the final battle of the last Grail War was fought. It ended here, but it was left empty."

" _Ugh, no wonder this place is pregnant with malice. It's disgusting._ " Archer said with irritation.

"Hm, you can sense that kind of thing?" Rin asked, walking down a dirt path.

" _We servant are spiritual beings after all. I don't need to be some sort of mage to be able to tell._ " She heard Archer sigh again. " _Rin, if you don't mind, I'd suggest we leave this place. It doesn't leave a good mark on us, and I mean both you and me in that regard._ "

Just as she was about to respond, Rin felt her Command Spells burn. " _Rin?_ " Archer asked, noticing her master's discomfort.

"Quiet down Archer, my Command Spells are reacting to something." Rin whispered. "I think we're being watched from somewhere, But I can't sense the. Can you?"

" _Nothing from my end Rin._ "

"Hm, does that mean we're being watched by another Master?" Rin thought aloud.

" _That doesn't sound good. At all._ "

"Yeah. On the bright side, at least we won't have to waste time finding them." Rin said observantly.

* * *

The night skies blanketed over Fuyuki City, the land being illuminated by majestic lights, both natural and artificial as the moon and stars shone over the bustling metropolis. The inhabitants of the city moving on with their lives, ignorant of the happenings that occur during the evening sky. Atop one of the skyscrapers that graced the city was a redcoat wearing high school girl with her hand on her waist, her eyes focused on the busy streets below like a peregrine falcon eyeing its prey.

"So? What do you think? A great vantage point, right?" she asked as her servant materialized right beside her.

"Uuuu, quite breezy up here. And I can see everything from here!" Archer turned to her master with a quizzical look on her face. "Why didn't we just head up here from the get go? Would've saved time rather than walking around town."

"What are you talking about? All you would've gotten is a bird's eye view from up here. You wouldn't be able to get a true feel for the city unless you actually go through it in person." Rin explained, though her eyes seemed to be drawn in by Archer's makeshift eyepatch. She looked away when she noticed that Archer noticed.

Archer planted her fists on her waist. "Rin, I'm an Archer-class for a reason. There's nothing to worry about, I guarantee you that my single eye is far better than this world's best marksman."

Rin's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry Archer. I know that even the weakest servants are far stronger than the strongest humans. Guess I was just concerned." Rin admitted.

"Well I'm flattered with your concern." Archer said without an ounce of sarcasm. "I'll admit, physically speaking, my depth perception's a bitch. But my vision isn't even my strongest senses, and that included the time I had both eyes."

"Oh?" Rin's ears perked up at the confident statement. "Then what do you rely on, Archer?"

Her servant gave Rin a confident smirk, before facing outward. Her eye closed and her hand drawn out. She let out a long drawn out breath. " _Will you come to me, my friend?_ " her servant began speaking; no, chanting, in an almost hushed whisper. " _Though we are in a strange world, will you heed my call?_ " Rin felt a wave of energy encircling around them. Rin could not almost stop herself, she was feeling excited. " _Will you accompany me again, on another great adventure, my eternal companion?_ "

Then, along with one final surge of magical energy, the both of them were bombarded with gusts of wind. Gusts so strong that she was sure it could send them flying off the building, even her servant. Yet the winds danced around them; no, it danced around _Her_. Around Archer, flowing along every inch of her skin, the loose fabric of her clothing and her cape billowing as if ready to lift her. And Rin could see, her Archer was smiling a smile that was brighter than even the morning sun, even more than the smile she showed her. Then, just as the winds began to recede, a particular bit of information came back to her, her eyes widening in realization.

"So this is why you said you're called the "Windranger," huh?" Rin remarked, a smirk forming on her face.

"Hehe, you could say that." Archer said bashfully.

"Is it some form of magic?" Rin asked, curious at her servant's power.

Archer's eye closed in thought, trying to come up with an answer. "I't hard to explain. How about this, you know how servants and masters share a dream cycle?" Rin nodded, prompting her servant to continue. "Then when you come upon my memories, then maybe you'll be able to explain just what it is that wield."

Rin gave Archer a gratifying smile. "I'll hold you to that, Archer."

Her servant gave her own smile back, before gesturing to the cityscape. "You wanna see how I see things without my eye?" Rin nodded, eager to experience such a sight.

The winds picked up again, though only as a soothing breeze. "Ah, 2km southeast of us, there's a couple having an argument. By the sounds of things, it's not their first. Oh, about 800m north of us, a young man's getting accosted by a couple of punks. Haha, but those punks are getting accosted by a bunch of gangsters. Hm, all the way in Miyama, there's a girl walking the streets by herself. She's lucky the neighborhood's empty, otherwise that would be extremely dangerous for her to be doing that. How foolish of her."

Rin could only gawk at her servant upon witnessing just a glimpse of her true capabilities. "Wow, amazing. You're quite the exceptional Archer!"

"Thanks, I try." Archer responded, again with that bashfulness she briefly displayed.

Rin's eyes scanned the landscape hoping to find these happenings that Archer had described to her, before focusing on a redheaded boy around her age. In that brief moment, as recognition flashed in her mind, she saw that the boy was apparently staring back at her. She shook her head, dismissing the possibility as she walked back.

"What's wrong Rin?" Archer asked.

"Nothing. It's just a boy I know from school." Rin replied.

She jumped a little when Archer moved to stand right in front of her. "Are you sure? 'Cause it felt like you just threw away a thought just now."

"I told you, it's nothing, Archer." Rin stated, reassuring her servant.

She failed. "Really? Then why don't you tell me what this "nothing" is then?"

Rin would've waved off her servant's concern, but something about Archer just seemed so convincing to her. It made Rin want to open up. She probably wouldn't do something like that, but she'd relented in voicing her discarded thought. "When I caught sight of him, it seemed like he took notice immediately, as he looked back up at me."

"Oh, really? Interesting." Archer crossed her arms, her fist right in front of her mouth. "I know people like them. Always ever vigilant. You'd think you'd get the jump on them, but the moment you're about to sink a dagger behind their back, they turn around and smack you right in the head."

Rin couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that elaborate explanation Archer had just given her. "You seem quite knowledgeable in that field, Archer. Personal experience?"

"Nah, but it happened to some people I knew in life." Archer replied.

"Who, the assailant or the target?" Rin asked?

Archer merely replied with a grin that somehow got into Rin's nerves. "Yes."

* * *

The night sky grew darker as they walked back to the Tohsaka estate, finally retiring from their early reconnaissance. The streets were empty, devoid of any other life except for them. The foreign style houses lined along the road along the south side of Miyama City.

" _Uh, Rin? I know we kinda glossed over it, 'cause we both, you know, forgot about it, but what's your wish?_ " Archer asked from her astralized form.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Rin asked back, still keeping her pace.

" _I mean, isn't that what the hell we're doing right now? This whole shindig we're involved in?_ " Archer elaborated.

"Honestly, I don't really have a wish?" Rin admitted.

" _Huh? Then why're you doing this then? Seems like such a waste of time._ "

"I'm participating because I've been preparing for this day for 10 years, Archer. Winning the Holy Grail War has been the Tohsaka dream for generations." Rin told her servant, though she could tell Archer was not satisfied.

" _There's more to it. This isn't some school exam where you're reciting an answer from memory. Why are you here, if you don't have a wish?_ "

At this, Rin stopped on her tracks, turning to where Archer would be if she were materialized. "I'm participating because there is a fight, Archer."

There was a moment of silence before Archer responded. " _So you fight for the fight, huh? For the win? For the glory?_ " Rin could hear the chuckle escape from Archer.

This time it was Rin that gave her own confident smirk. "You could say that."

" _Haha, quite the little glory seeker of a master I have. Alright then. It makes the fights easier now that there's a clear goal in mind. I'll be with you all the way, Rin._ "

With a satisfied smile and reddening cheeks, Rin continued her walk. "How about you, Archer?"

" _Hm? My wish? I don't really have any."_

"You don't? Not even a little?" Rin prodded.

" _You could say I lived a fulfilling life, Rin. So with that in mind, trust me that I will bring you your crowning achievement._ "

Once again, Rin smiled a smile that was beaming with pride, but this time it concerned her servant. Sure, she had her expectations shattered because of her own mistakes last night (though technically early that morning), but with a servant like her Archer, she felt like not even the world could stop her just through determination alone. And that's saying something.

Upon crossing a crossroad, her eyes immediately caught sight of something, or rather someone, she would rather not encounter that night.

" _Rin? What're you doing?_ " her servant asked almost rhetorically.

"I'm hiding. It's someone I know, from school. I skipped today, so I'd rather not run into her. " she explained, though she'd be lying if the scene before her did not catch her interest.

The purple haired underclassmen of hers, being confronted by a blonde, red-eyed foreigner. After what seemed like a short minute, the foreigner moved forward, leaving her underclassmen alone. Rin stayed where she hid, waiting for both to leave her sights before she continued on home.

* * *

"Kirei? It's me. I made a contract with Archer last night, so please register me officially as a Master."

" _Very well._ " Came the reply from her phone, her servant leaning closer behind her. " _So, what is your next move? Would you care to stop by? I have something for you that your parents left in my care._ "

"You mean my Father's will? I already deciphered it and found what he left, so that's fine." Rin responded. "I'll stop by if I'm ever in the mood, so I'll see you then."

" _Wait, Rin-_ " the response was cut off as she hung up the phone.

Upon exiting the gates to her house, she felt Archer's astralized presence. " _So we're finally heading to your school, huh? Sure would've been fun if we dropped by yesterday._ "

Rin sighed as she made her way towards her school. "I told you. I skipped school yesterday. It would do me no good to just "drop by" if that were the case."

She heard her servant sigh. " _Such complicated nonsense. At the very least you've secured it as a potential base right? 'Cause I'm assuming you've made preparations before you summoned me._ "

"Don't worry, Archer. There's only one other magus family beside the Tohsakas that live in Fuyuki, but their bloodline has thinned." Rin said reassuringly. "A shadow of their former selves, if you will. They have no masters in this war."

The silence that followed did not reassure Rin, but she didn't feel the need to continue, so she went on her way in silence herself.

The hours passed by as the day went on, with Rin going through her school life as per normal. But when she felt Archer's presence approach her in the middle of class, she could not help but be worried, if only a little. " _There's another servant in the school, Rin._ "

Rin's body froze when Archer broke the news to her. "Have they done anything?" she whispered.

" _Nothing at the moment. They seemed to be content with observing, I'm assuming._ " Archer replied.

Rin nodded. "Alright, keep an eye of them. When school's over, we'll inspect the premises, make sure they don't do anything to it."

" _Alright, see you before sunset!_ " then she felt Archer's presence lessen.

Rin balled her fists, her knuckles whitening from how tight her fist was. Someone would disrupt the only other safe haven she had, and she would have none of it. She will deal with this situation before it escalates.

* * *

" _It seems for the most part the school remains unblemished._ " Archer reported, her presence hanging behind Rin. " _That servant seemed to hang out in one particular spot for most of the day. And there was no one among the students and teachers who did anything out of the ordinary._ "

Rin herself was finishing up on inspecting the school grounds, the rooftop being the final location within the school she had scoured. She stood herself back up, a hand on the back of her waist. "Regardless, the school has become a place where we have to remain vigilant. A shame really, I liked the peace here."

" _I'm sure you can find other peaceful places to hang around in, Rin._ " Archer commented with a chuckle.

Rin felt a smile on her face. "I'm sure I could, Archer." She sighed. "Anyway, I might have to set up my own bounded field here, but I think we should call it a night." She said, turning towards the rooftop entrance.

" _Rin._ " She halted her steps, feeling the turn in Archer's demeanor. " _There's another servant approaching._ "

"Are you sure?" she asked, keeping her voice low as her body went on alert when she felt a new presence around her.

" _100%_." Archer replied, as a golden shimmer revealed itself, their body hunkered down almost to a crouch. Their right hand wielding a golden lance that it held behind its back, the shaft shifting to a bluer hue. The same assortment of colors hung behind the figure's shoulder like some sort of shawl. The figure wore a straw hat that shielded a part of their face. But what stood out to Rin was this figure's blue skin and feet. Feet that would fit more on a wild cat of some kind.

Rin scowled, slowly backing away as the figure kept their eyes on her. "Are you here to kill me?" She asked.

The figure brought their lance to bear, their stance shifting slightly. "We were sent to scout." they said, slowly aiming their lance at an area just next to her. "Unfortunately, it seems that we have been compromised."

"Unfortunate indeed." Rin responded, a smirk forming on her mouth.

"And so, it is with great regret," the servant slowly trailed their lance towards her. "that we must ensure, that there are no witnesses."

Rin gritted her teeth, balling her fists at the declaration. Already on full alert, she took one long step as the servant launched themselves, their lance barely missing her. They were not putting their all in the attack, otherwise she would not be standing right now. She knew humans stood no chance against them, but she'll take whatever blessings she got, turning on her feet and running straight towards the fenced roof.

Rin channeled her mana, her circuits flaring to life. " _Es ist gro_ _ß_ _! Es ist klein!_ " her feet launched her forward, creating distance from the servant. " _Vox Gott Es Atlas!_ " then she launched herself upward, somersaulting over the fence.

She curled her body tighter as she was freefalling from her leap. "Archer, break my fall!"

Within an instant, the winds formed around her as she felt Archer's arms holding her close, their fall broken by the strong sudden gusts the blew onto them from below. Their landing; graceful as a dancer's routine, her hair flowing as if she herself was pirouetting. But just as they slowed down, she felt Archer push her forward, ushering her along. Rin ran as fast as she could, glancing behind her to see the hostile servant closing in on her. She refocused her efforts on running, yet when she felt the hostile presence closest to her, with its lance swung at her direction, her servant materialized to divert the attack, kicking it away with her own bare feet. The enemy servant leaped back the moment Archer fully revealed herself, Rin slowing down to bring her attention at the impending altercation.

Her Archer stood tall with a perfect posture that befit a hero with an untold levy of experience, her short orange hair billowing behind her. In her left hand was a bright green bow that was almost as tall as Archer herself, its gold accented limbs were as thick as Rin's own arms. But the eccentricities of the bow did not end there. The limbs had another layer above it, serrated with the pattern of a falcon's wings. Close to the back of the bow on each limb physically empty sockets that glow with a bright green light. The back of her bow was decorated with the figurehead of a falcon, her hand coiled around a grip that looked more akin to a modern compound bow. And the bowstring itself; Rin was at a loss for a brief moment, noticing the absence of a string, before seeing an ethereal green line draw itself from one limb to another.

The enemy servant; Rin guessed a Lancer-class based on its weapon; stood themselves up straighter, taking on a more relaxed posture as it regarded her Archer. "It seems, we will reach an impasse." Came their comment before they lowered themselves back to a more crouched stance.

Rin stood there, waiting for the conflict to proceed to its inevitable outcome, before noticing her servant casting a glance towards her. The ever present smirk was on her face. Then, just as Rin was about to respond, Archer winked.

Eyes widening and cheeks reddening, Rin shook her head before readdressing her servant, a more determined expression adorned on her face. "Archer. Show him what you got!"

Archer turned her gaze back towards the hostile servant. "With pleasure, _Master._ " She replied, her voice laced with confidence as her grip on her bow tightened.

For what seemed like a minute, both servants stared at each other, neither one making the first move, though the rising tension in the air seemed to slowly reach some sort of breaking point. They all could feel it. Then, before Rin's eyes could register, Archer disappeared, leaving behind a small crater. The Lancer-class servant reacted immediately, swinging their lance in a downward direction, but it was a mere moment too late. They were sent flying by Archer's kick as she lay on the ground, her foot still in the air as she held her bow drawn at the flying servant. With a release, the servant was sent further higher, but Archer was ever vigilant.

With a powerful swing, she kicked herself off the ground, another crater left behind as she dodged another swing from Lancer. And just as quick, she delivered another kick at them, sending them flying towards the school building. Just as she trained her bow at the at the heavy dust, she switched her aim to her left, letting the arrow fly as Lancer was once again rushing towards her, with agility fitting for their class. Her arrow was faster, sending them crashing down across the dirt field.

She brought her bow behind her head, blocking another attack that flanked her. Her cape flared as a light gust of wind combed over her, creating the distance between the two servants as the bowstring disappeared, Archer now gripping the bottom limb of her bow like a baseball bat. She stopped another swing as Lancer closed the distance between them again, the golden lance just closely brushing her face. She kneed the servant, causing it to stagger, long enough for her to give them a powerful swing that sent them tumbling away, the dirt field now home to many craters and trenches.

"So this is a battle between servants, huh?" Rin commented, barely able to keep up with her reinforced eyes. "How is Lancer able to retaliate so quickly after each of Archer's blows?"

"They're called illusions where I'm from, Master." Archer explained, another one of her kicks sending Lancer flying away from her, the momentum bring her to the center of the now ruined field.

"Illusions?" Rin replied, confused.

"Yes. Mirror copies that carried some form of the wielder's strength and capabilities. There were many heroes that utilized them. There was even an artifact that allowed its wielder to create their own illusions." Archer's posture relaxed when Lancer's form revealed itself within the debris.

"And, what of his? How do his illusions compare?" Rin asked, both intrigued and worried.

Archer scoffed. "They hit like wet noodles, Master." Archer responded, though she aimed her bow at Lancer. "But they are _limitless._ I've heard of a hero like that, though I never came across them in life."

Lancer chuckled, though their face was obscured by its straw hat and the dust that gathered around the debris. "Looks like we have been figured out." Stated the Lancer, golden shimmers appearing all around the field. Right before Rin's eyes, illusions of Lancer had made themselves apparent, each of them poised in a different stance, but all facing them. "We **outnumber** you, Archer. Can you keep up?"

The moment of silence from her servant worried Rin, but the chuckling eased her worries, if only just slightly. "That's an odd question, Lancer. Seems like something you should ask yourselves."

"Is that pride in your voice?" Lancer said, a number of their illusions aiming their lance at Archer.

"Nah." She replied, her knocked arrow flaring with green mystical energy. "Just confidence."

Once again, the tension between the servants rose in the air, the both of them poised to strike one another as their second round stood at the precipice. A wind based Archer, and a Lancer with an army of illusions. Rin swallowed the lump in her throat, her knuckles whitening as she tightened her balled fists. She could feel the rising build up of mana from both servants.

 _ **SNAP!**_

Both Rin and Archer, along with a number of Lancer's illusions, turned their heads at the source of the sudden noise that disturbed the servants' duel. She saw someone; a male that wore her school's uniform, running towards the main building.

"A student?" Rin voiced with worry, jogging towards Archer. "There was someone else in school?"

Archer's posture relaxed, dispersing the green energy from her knocked arrow. "Damn, we should've been more thorough." Rin nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.

The both of them heard Lancer let out a disappointed sigh. "How unfortunate." They said, turning to face them again. "Hold them off."

Rin's eyes widened in alarm, with Archer once again aiming her bow at three retreating forms of Lancer as the rest of the illusions charged at them.

"Archer, stop him!" Rin ordered futilely.

Loosing her first arrow at a line of the Lancers, a ball of vines materialized in her hands, throwing them at the shrinking forms of Lancer. The ball erupted, wrapping around the first Lancer as remnants of the vines flew out further to wrap around another. Her sense of elation did not come to her, however, as the two disabled Lancers disappeared into motes of golden dust.

"Damn!" she cursed, all the while kicking away the Lancers that had come too close, another arrow knocked and loosed at a small grouping. The illusions had been easily dealt with. Without waiting for Rin, she rushed off towards the building, chasing after Lancer.

Rin took the longer path, running through the side entrance, her footsteps echoing in the empty school corridor.

" _Damn it, I'm so stupid!_ " she thought to herself, reaching the stairs with ragged breath. " _Eliminating witnesses is the first rule of being a magus. I hate that rule, so I've always been extra careful, but…_ " she slowed down upon reaching the top of the stairs, hand on the rail as she gathered her breath. As she brought her vision back up to level, she saw Archer standing in the middle of the corridor, a scowl on her usually cheery face.

She walked over to her servant, her eyes immediately following where Archer had kept her gaze. There it was. The crumpled form of a student, the pool of blood almost covering his entire body. "Archer. Follow Lancer. If we don't at least learn of his Master's face, then none of this would've been worth it."

Her servant nodded, turning to the windows before disappearing in a mote of green particles. Rin steadily made her way towards the student, a scowl of determination on her face. "Rin, this is your responsibility." She said to herself.

She kneeled before the boy, inspecting the wound on his back. "Lancer pierced him with his spear. He's not going to make it. Not with a skewered heart." She frowned when she noticed movement. The boy was still breathing. "I'm sorry. I'll stay with you until your time comes." She said, turning him over.

She gasp, eyes contracting in horror.

Her body dropped to both knees, drawing in ragged breaths as her body went limp. "Don't do this to me…" she said, shaking her head, her shoulders quivering. "Why did it have to be **you**? Why did you have to pick **this** hour, on **this** day, to be **here**?" she brought both her hands to her face, her fingers tense. "How am I supposed to look her in the eye tomorrow?"

Her eyes opened, her aqua eyes reflecting the moonlit shine. She rummaged through her pocket, finding the pendant her father left for her. She clutched it. "No. There's still a way."

* * *

Rin lay on her sofa with her arm draped over her head and her other hand on her stomach, her entire person exhausted physically and emotionally. She had been laying there since she got back home. She felt the presence of her servant, materializing in a green shimmer, behind the sofa. "I'm sorry, Rin. Lancer's Master was a wiley one."

"Ah. I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be that easy." She said, bring her hand up, palm facing the ceiling. Her body shifted then so she was lying on her side.

"Rin, we'll make sure something like that won't occur again, not while we're still around." Her servant declared, walking closer to her.

Rin couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, we won't." she replied, turning her head to face Archer. "At least we managed to save someone."

"Wait a minute." Rin's voice was loud as if awoken, a thought dawning on her. "If his Master learns the witness they took out was still around…"

"Then Lancer is most likely still on the hunt." Archer finished.

The both of them were now stood outside her house, ready to head out once more. "We need to get there as soon as possible, Archer." She ordered as her servant picked her up in a bridal carry.

"You know where to go?" Archer asked, earning a nod from her master.

"Yes, I do." Came Rin's curt reply.

"No problem then." Archer declared, leaping off straight towards the night sky. " _Winds…_ " a blanket of air covered their forms just as Archer was about to fall back. " _take me!_ "

The force of a hurricane propelled them off, flying over the houses as they made their way to the traditional side of the city. "You can fly?" Rin asked her servant.

"More like glide with the wind!" Archer responded with a chuckle.

The distance was covered in mere seconds, Archer landing the both of them a block away from where the boy's house was, and along with it, the Lancer's presence. Archer dropped Rin on her feet, the master running towards the house with urgency while her servant took stock of the premises. Her eyes flared when she took note of a particular presence.

"Rin! There's another servant in there!" Archer called out, rushing to join her master.

Rin herself slow down upon turning the corner, her servant's warning ringing in her mind. She slowed to a crawl just as Archer arrived, standing before her as their eyes spotted the figure that stood at the entrance. Their bodies were on alert as they took note of this figure, this presence that had showed themselves just as Archer had sad.

Archer materialized her bow when this figure casually walked towards them, a scythe rested on their shoulders. The figure wore a heavy dark blue cloak that covered their entire torso and head, their face obscured except for their eyes as the gold highlights seemed to make their pale milky eyes shine. Beneath the cloak was a light metal cuirass, shielding the figure's form. A brown belt held the figure's brown leather pants, while also hoisting an array of holstered throwing knives. Light gauntlets and metal boots that shared the cuirass' decorative patterns were adorned on the figure's limbs, the digits on their hands free with fingerless gloves.

"So…" the newly appeared servant started, their voice distinctively feminine and carrying a tinge of amusement as their eyes gazed over them. "…are you here to _play,_ or _parley_?"

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

yo whas'supp everyone! welcome to a new fic that i've started. a mesh of Fate and Dota that will hopefully workout. we'll see. hope you enjoyed this prologue.

months ago, probably around the middle of 2017, after seeing a bunch of Fate fanart popping up on the Pixiv accounts that i followed, i couldn't stop myself. i was intrigued, and like any other person who watches anime **and** has heard of Fate, i finally took the step to get myself acquainted with it. so, i watched up ufotable's UBW anime, then downloaded NA's F/GO, then watched up on Apocrypha (though only the 1st season and 3 episodes of the 2nd. it didn't keep me like the others.), i even started watching KnK (though only the 1st movie. i really need to catch up on that one.) before finally diving into the Fate fanfics. i couldn't stop myself, this nonstop Fate binging. and it's **awesome!**

i actually had another idea in mind in regards to the Fate world as a fanfic, but considering it functioned similar to _The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_ and the fact that it would've followed up on the UBW route ('cause that's the one i'm experienced with. can't wait to watch Heaven's Feel), i figured i'd start with something less ambitious. don't want to trip myself. and so, using the one piece of fiction that i've gotten quite accustomed, i started this crossover.

now, let's go over the prologue and what it entailed. the main differences i pictured as i wrote is that, compared to EMIYA, Lyralei would be a more uplifting presence. so for the most part, as of now, the differences laid on the fact that she's probably not as stressed out. probably. hopefully.

Lyralei herself wasn't that hard to insert. sure, she can be as sarcastic as EMIYA, and she can also get under people's skins, but she displays a more happy-go-lucky, summer vibe attitude to people. even in Dota and among her allied and enemy heroes.

in regards to Lancer, i feel like there really is only one obvious hero in Dota that would fit him, so i couldn't resist.

and Saber, well, let's just say there are exceptions.

so, i guess that's it for now. hope you enjoyed this one! R&R if you want to, hopefully we can bring this story to life!

see you all next time!


	2. The Last Master

_**The Last Master**_

" _Emiya, if you don't eat your lunch soon, you won't get to." The Student Council President stated, a small cup of tea in his hand as he glanced over to his friend._

" _It's okay. I'm almost done." Replied the auburn haired individual, eyes fixated on the radio he was soldering. Smoke trailed up his face as he went to work._

 _Ryuudou Issei turned his body back to the table within the student council room, but his eyes were still on his friend. "The heaters are one thing, but you didn't have to agree to fix personal items too."_

" _Don't worry." Replied Emiya Shirou. "Like they say, in for a penny, in for a pound."_

 _Issei sighed, his hands with the cup planted on the table. "There's such a thing as being too considerate. Being helpful is all well and good, but you should really learn to say no." he paused for a short moment. "You take_ "turn no one away" _too far, Emiya."_

 _Emiya paused his work, looking up from the floor he was sitting on to his friend. "Hm? Do I seem like that much of a pushover?"_

 _The President turned back to his friend, his free arm on the back of the chair. "You're leaving yourself open to being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous." He added. "Surely you could turn people down every once in a while."_

" _What're you talking about? Helping others is a good deed." Shirou retorted. "That's not something the heir to a temple should be complaining about."_

" _I'm just saying you take it too far, Emiya." Issei responded. "If you keep going like this, you'll burn out."_

 _Shirou frowned. "Duly noted." He replied, putting the radio back together. "Okay, all done!"_

For no particular reason, events earlier that day replayed in the mind of Emiya Shirou as he continued on walking, the road illuminated by the orange street lights. His mind to himself as the memory ended, he halted his steps when he noticed a figure ahead on the inclined road, taking note of it before his feet went back into motion. A young little girl, the white hair and red eyes seemed to indicate that the girl was an albino, though the foreign facial structure showed that she might not have been Japanese. She wore a high-class purple coat with a white scarf, her head carrying a purple hat to match. She seemed to be staring at him.

His mouth was agape, his own eyes kept on the girl who had started to walk down the street. Thinking that it might have been a foreigner's curiosity, his gaze realigned itself back straight to the road. He minded his own business, just as they passed by each other.

"If you don't summon your Servant soon, you'll die," the words were said, a whisper and a warning. "Onii-chan."

His eyes blinked as he gasped, his feet no longer moving. He glanced behind him, and immediately turned his whole body to the road he had just walked. There was no one there. The street devoid of any soul except for him. His thought process was drawing a blank, trying to come up with possible explanations to what had just occurred mere seconds ago. Ranging from scientific to supernatural. The last possibility that came to mind was magical, but the chances of that were low.

He didn't know any other magi after all.

* * *

The rest of his night passed by uneventfully. When he got home, Sakura was already there preparing dinner, along with Fujimura. Their dinner was mixed with his guardian's worries of how late he had just arrived, followed by her teasing him on his, apparently, childish ideals when Sakura inquired about them. His underclassmen seemed quite eager to hear more about his childhood. It wasn't long till the clock ticked on and both his guests had to leave for the night, Shirou seeing them out from the entrance of his house. With them on their way, he shut off the lights and made his way to his workshop, but not before stopping along the in the middle of his backyard. He looked around nostalgically, his gaze setting themselves on the back porch. With these memories and emotions playing through his head, he went on his way towards his intended destination.

" _Trace on._ "

A light blue light filled the dark storage room as the one known as Emiya Shirou started chanting.

" _Analyzing base core._ "

His hands lit up as his nerves were re-purposed.

" _Analyzing composite materials._ "

He placed his hands on the steel pipe that lay before him.

" _Reinforcing auxiliary components._ "

The light from his hands transferred to the steel pipe.

" _Reinforcing composite materials._ "

His face strained has he focused his energies on the pipe, but with the orange hue replacing the blue, it wasn't long till his efforts bore no fruit. When the energy dispersed, he opened his stress filled eyes, beads of sweat trailing down his face. He gasped for air as he recollected himself. "Damn, failed again." he said to himself, his eyes staring at the steel pipe.

"I can't believe that I still can't do something this basic." He said dejectedly. "I'm gonna be a novice forever."

He brought his hands behind his head and laid himself on the cold floor, his eyes staring the wooden ceiling. "I just don't get it." He said to the room. "How do I become a Hero of Justice?"

He turned his body to the side, staying alone by himself in the cold storage for the night. His wasted efforts brought his practice to a quick end, as his eyes met their awaited slumber.

* * *

The morning went by as normal, with both him and Sakura making breakfast for themselves and his guardian, who hadn't yet showed herself that morning. He busied himself with the omelet he was making while his underclassman was preparing the dishes, taking them out of the cupboard. He gave a quick glance at her, noticing an intricate pattern on the back of her left hand, its color a deep blood red. Three round flower petals forming a circle, with close gaps between them.

"Sakura… is that a tattoo?" he asked, his mind going for the most likely answer.

The purple haired girl turned to him, her face sporting a look of confusion before she caught on to what he was referring to. She brought both hands to her chest, her right hand covering the other. "Ah, yes, Senpai. Don't worry, its temporary." She said, trying to reassure him.

"Why would you do that?" he asked, trying to understand his friend.

She shifted uncomfortably where she stood, her eyes looking at anywhere but him. "I, uh, was just trying something new. What do you think, Senpai?' she nervously brought her hand closer to him, showing him the "tattoo" she has.

A bit taken aback, he looked at what was presented to him, observing with his golden eyes. He had to admit though, it wasn't that bad. "Maybe, not red next time?" he let out a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head. She joined him with her own nervous chuckle, bringing her hand back to her chest. When silence returned, the both of them standing awkwardly before each other.

The silence did not last long, as the door to the room slid open, the energetic adult entering the room full of eagerness. "Shirou, do I smell your famous rolled omelets?" she asked excitedly. Greeted with silence, she glanced at the kitchen, seeing the two high school students staring at each other. "Huh?"

* * *

Aside from that morning incident, if it could even be called an incident, the rest of his day passed by unassumingly. His walk to school brought nothing out of the ordinary, his classes went on as normal, even the break period started off quietly.

"What's up, Emiya?" Issei asked as he approached his friend, who was staring out at the window with his head rested on his hand. "Let's eat."

Shirou turned to the Student Council President to properly speak to him. "Sorry, Issei. I'm going to eat in the cafeteria today." He said.

"That's unusual. Did something happen?" his friend asked with concern.

"Not really." Shriou replied, leaning back on his chair.

"Excuse me." A voice called out from the door to the classroom. "Is Ryuudou here?"

Issei looked up upon being called. "Eh? Ah, I am, sir." He made his way towards the teacher. "What's wrong, Kuzuki-sensei?"

With his friend preoccupied, Shirou got off of his seat and left the classroom, eager to have lunch for the day. He ordered the chef's special, taking the receipt as he paid the vending machine.

"Hm hm. Going with the chef's special for lunch today, are we?" he glanced behind him, seeing a brunette lean her body as she appraised him. She waved her hand at him when their eyes met. "Not eating with the prez today?"

"Nah." Shirou replied, moving to get his order. "Hey, Mitsuzuri. Has everything been fine in the Archery club?"

"Hm? Archery club?" the current president looked confused for a moment, before a knowing look flashed on her face. "Oh, you mean Sakura? Yeah, she's fine! She's been practicing her heart out."

The both of them made their way to an unoccupied table, sitting across one another. "It's her brother that's the problem." She said to him. "He's been taking his frustrations out on the freshmen."

"What frustration?" Shirou asked back, concern filling his head at the mention of Shinji.

"From what I hear, he got shot down pretty hard by Tohsaka." Ayako explained.

"Tohsaka?"

"Shh, be quiet!" she whispered. Shirou covered his mouth upon being reminded of the delicateness of the subject.

"Anyway, he's been in a foul mood ever since." She continued on. "I've had to keep an eye on him all through practice, so I'm beat."

Yeah, he does have a nasty temper." Shirou agreed.

"I feel like he might be planning to get ever with her somehow." She brought up, taking a bite of her lunch.

"Nah, he's not gonna go anywhere near someone who'd rejected him." Shirou replied.

"But he can't avoid her if she comes to him," Ayako replied back.

"Hah?"

"I'm not sure why, but she's been coming to the dojo a lot lately. I guess you wouldn't know, since you quit and all." Her voice trailed off in a teasing manner, leaving Shirou to think over the thought.

The day went on uneventfully. Shirou would often give quick glances to Shinji during class and the second break, seeing the wavy haired boy reminded him of what Ayako had told him in regards to Tohsaka. With the school idol in his thoughts, his mind went back to the Archery club. And thinking of the club, he thought of checking it out after not dropping by ever since he had quit the club.

He stayed outside, trying to catch glimpses of club activities, but was accosted by three girls that were suspicious of him. After a misunderstanding was resolved; as the trio had in fact been watching for Shinji, he finally left the school after being reminded by of the girls that those who had no club activities were to leave straight to their homes. There was an incident the previous night where a family had been as husks. Alive but dried as their very souls were shaken to their very cores. He gave the house a quick stop, before finally taking the bus to Shinto.

Sitting close to the back, he kept his eyes on the scenery outside, a determined look sported on his face. "I know…" he said to himself, as memories of his adoption was brought back to the forefront. " _Helping others and being a Hero of Justice aren't the same thing._ "

 _A young Shirou lay on the hospital bed, his eyes glued to the window. Noticing a shift at the corner of his eyes, he noticed a man dressed in an all black suit, talking to a nurse just at the door to the room. He heard the man talking with the nurse. The nurse then left, leaving the man standing there before he turned to face the room. Specifically at Shirou. The man then walked towards him, his pace slow and tired._

 _He stopped when he stood right next to Shirou's bed. "Hello. You must be Shirou-kun." He greeted. "I'll get straight to the point. Would you rather be sent off to an orphanage, or taken in by a man you just met?"_

 _The young Shirou tilted his head for a moment, before squeezing his eyes shut in thought for a couple of seconds, before finally pointing at the man before him. The man smiled, kneeling down to retrieve the clothes underneath the bed. "I'm glad." He said happily. "Then let's get you dressed right away. You should get acclimated to your new home as soon as possible."_

 _Shirou noticed that the other children were staring at him. He wondered if they were envious that he had a home to go to so quickly. "Oh, I forgot to mention something. It's important that you know this, alright?" the man looked up, staring right at Shirou's eyes. "Well, for starters… I'm a magus."_

* * *

He stood at the Shinto bus depot, eyes scanning the skies as the orange tinge of sunset graced the city. "I've still got some time before work." He said aloud, thinking of stopping by the park, as he remembered a particular event.

An even where he was saved by the man that adopted him, Emiya Kiritsugu, during the great fire that consumed Shinto ten years ago. Sensations of intense heat, of heavy smoke, being incapable of breathing, of people dying, of people failing to save others dying. " _I hate that._ " He thought to himself, standing at the very park that became a memorial of the great fire. Anger boils inside him at the thought of those many deaths after those people had spent their last moments trying to live, even thought their efforts were futile.

" _Is it selfish of me to wish for a happy ending, full of smiles?_ " he thought, walking through the park as memories of his father flashed before him. Of how his father had explained to him how such a dream was impossible. As a child, he was never convinced.

He leaned on a bench as the day grew darker, his thoughts still hanging on the past. Of the questions he asked his father. If it were possible for him to save everyone, just like Shirou himself was saved. " _Saving one person means not saving another._ " His father answered.

Even during his part time job, Shirou's thoughts were still on the subject. He understood now, especially since he was no longer a child. It was obvious, but that didn't mean that he would like it. The idea that salvation could not apply to everyone. He did not like the thought of more people dying like they did on that fateful day.

As he was wallowing through his thoughts, crossing the overhead bridge he felt a peculiar sensation. As if someone was looking at him. Not a casual glance a passerby would give, but actively staring at him. He looked up, and gasped in surprise when he noticed the redcoat wearing, twintailed schoolmate of his. The one that was supposed to be sick because of a cold, from what the trio of girls had told him. And she was standing there, on top of the skyscraper, staring down at him. He brought his hand to his face, covering his eyes as if a sudden migraine had assailed him, before looking back up. Unfortunately, she was no longer there.

"That was Tohsaka just now…" he whispered to himself. "wasn't it?"

* * *

That night ended quicker as Sakura had to head home earlier before he himself could get back home, being escorted by Fujimura's men. Both Shirou and his guardian conversed briefly before she too had to head home for the night. The next day started off with less problems than the day before, and before he knew it, he was heading out of his house, ready to head to school with Sakura.

"Senpai, I won't be able to help with the cooking for a while starting tonight." She told him as he locked the door. He turned to face her to properly have the conversation. "Is that alright?" she looked up to him, a soft apologetic smile on her face.

"Don't worry about it. It's the weekend, after all." He reassured her. "I'm sure you have people to hang out with."

Sakura's smile faltered, shaking her head at the statement. "No, it's not like that!" she said back. "It's really just a personal thing, and I'll still be going to club practices, so if anything comes up, please come to the dojo, and I'll see what I can do!" she punctuated her word each with a step closer to him, a determined look on her eyes. "I wouldn't go out and have fun just because it's the weekend!" she declared, a blush visible on her cheeks as she stood just inches from him.

He leaned back a bit, eyes wide at Sakura's sudden outburst as the purple haired girl turned away from him. "So… I'd appreciate it if you didn't get the wrong idea." Her voice returning to her quite, bashful volume with her gaze trailing away from him.

Shirou smiled at her. "Understood." He replied. "If something comes up, I'll stop by the dojo."

She smiled back at him, reassured. "Thanks. That would be great." Her gaze trailed down, then an alarmed, knowing look crossed her face. "Senpai, your hand…"

"Hm?" he brought his hand to his face, seeing what looked like a bruise forming. "Where'd this come from? Did I cut myself? Oh well, it doesn't hurt or anything, so it should fade soon." He said, reassuringly.

Unbeknownst to him, Sakura's worried expression was because of the implications, the reality of those marks that he now possessed. But she relented regardless, knowing that her Senpai did not want her to worry. "Okay. If you say so."

* * *

School went on as usual, without any troubles brewing even though there was a weight behind him as if a grave incident would occur. He shook the feeling off, at least while he was on still school grounds, feeling there was nothing to worry himself over. He did his share of fixing the school equipment for the Student Council, as per usual, with Issei commending him for his efforts, exclaiming how said equipment would be fixed before their exams would start. On his way out of the school, his ears perked when he heard feminine giggles approaching the stairs from down the corridor, along with the voice of a familiar face.

"You think _that_ was amazing?" a certain wavy haired individual boasted, two girls on each side. They all stopped, their eyes meeting Shirou's.

"Shinji." Shirou greeted, turning his body to face them.

"Still at school, Emiya?" Shinji responded, walking a few steps closer.

Shirou was about to leave anyway, before a thought crossed his mind, glancing the purple haired boy. "Hey, you know what's going on with Sakura?"

Shirou noticed that the womanizer flinched, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Haha, there's nothing out of the ordinary. She's trying new things for once." He replied, though his demeanor was not the most confident.

Shirou raised a brow at his friend's stammering, wondering what got Shinji so nervous. Especially in regards to his sister, because that was a first for all he knew. He put this thought in the backburner, turning back down the stairs. "Alright then. See you later, Shinji." He said, waving back.

"Wait, Emiya." Shinji called out, stopping the auburn haired boy. "Hey, could you do me a favor? I know you're not one to turn away from work."

Shirou raised a brow at his overt pleading. "Didn't Fujimura-sensei tell _you_ to clean it up, Senpai?" one of the girls called out from behind him.

"That's right. You'd better-" the other girl continued, before being interrupted.

"Its fine." the womanizer said back, glancing to the two girls. "I mean, if I start cleaning now, the shop will be closed by the time I finish." Both the girls looked at each other unsurely. "Take it from here, will you, Emiya?"

"Wait, Senpai!" one of the girls protested, walking up to Shinji.

"We'll leave it to you then." The other girl bowed. "Thank you, Emiya-senpai."

Shirou sighed, but accepted anyway. He had nothing better to do.

The dojo was empty, no club activities taking place as he entered it. This would take a while, but by the time he finishes, it will be pristine. With a bucket of soaped water and a rag in each of his hands, he started with the wooden floors, meticulously cleaning the dojo from step 1. In the middle of his work, he stopped to gaze nostalgically at the archery range. Seeing the place just as he left it, when he quit the club and handed the title of Club President to Ayako.

He continued cleaning even as the school grew more silent, as student after student left the grounds and made their way home. The air around him growing still as he moved on to maintaining the bows. Before he knew it, the empty school was only illuminated by the steel lamps, the moon and the stars gracing their presence above him. With one hand on his waist, he let out a pleased sigh as he took in the archery range once more.

"Done." He said to himself.

 _ **THUD**_

His ears perked up when he heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh, the loud thud resonating in the air. He glanced to the entrance, hearing the sound of the released tension of a bow. He walked towards the exit, hearing the sound of an object breaking the sound barrier, along with wood and metal coming into contact with one another. It sounded like some sort of conflict, and altercation was happening outside. He walked outside, and saw a sight that that stunned him. Dust building up in the middle of the field, now littered with craters and trenches, obscuring the already blurring figures that were dueling one another. A single pause between them was enough for him to take in the two people. A green clad, orange haired bow wielder, and a blue skinned individual holding some sort of golden lance. Both their weapons aimed at each other.

"Who are they?" he whispered to himself, before they met each other again. But then he felt the air shift, noticing a change between the fighters. To his shock, he noticed specters of the lance wielder appearing from thin air, almost encircling the archer. The archer themselves seemed unperturbed, the arrow knocked in their bow now emanating a green energy.

He cautiously took a step back, trying to distance himself from whatever it was that was occurring right before his eyes.

 _ **SNAP**_

He felt their eyes shift towards him when he stepped on a twig, and immediately turned his body towards the school building, running for his life before whoever, whatever they were could catch him. He ran as fast as he could, passing by the shoe lockers, his footsteps echoing in the hallways as he caught himself from tripping. His leaped with each step, trying to create as much distance as he can. He didn't need to glance behind him to feel the hostile presence chasing after him.

Rushing up the stairs, he felt his end encroaching on him. And when the presence was at its peak, he turned his body to see the golden lance aimed at him, golden eyes glinting beneath the straw hat. Shirou tried to shield himself, bring both arms to cover his face as he fell onto the ground, back first. Now at the mercies of the floor, he looked back, and found nothing. The hostile presence disappeared as he slowly crawled back. He looked around the corridor, gasping for air as he stood himself up. He tried to catch himself back up, gathering his breath again.

" _No._ " his eyes widened in fear when he heard the melancholic voice, on instinct his body turning to face the source.

Pain.

He looked down, seeing the golden lance materialize before him, piercing his chest leaving his uniform seeping blood. The wielder of the lance materialized right after, pulling the lance out of Shirou's chest. He struggled to breath, his heart going through torture as he fell to his knees, before his entire body dropping face first onto the floor.

"We apologize, young man." The figure told him, their voice echoing in the hallway. "We could not leave any witnesses. Any loose ends." They told him as his blood pooled around him.

"Pray that your next life will be more fortuitous that this one." The figure said to him, before glancing to the side with an unpleased expression. "Such horrid orders. Ones unbefitting of a hero." They said to the room. "We understand. We got a perfect picture of the girl and her servant. We will return." The figure then shimmered, dispersing in a golden light as Shirou's vision slowly failed him. He could feel the presence leaving, as he lay there in what he thought were his final moments.

He felt himself stirred, still apparently conscious as someone loomed over him. He heard a voice, distinctly female. " _He's not going to make it. Not with a skewered heart_." He felt this person shift beside him. " _Don't do this to me…_ " he heard her say. " _Why did it have to be_ _ **you**_ _? Why did you have to pick_ _ **this**_ _hour, on_ _ **this**_ _day, to be_ _ **here**_ _?_ " his eyes were struggling to stay open, but he caught a glimpse of a shade of red the person was wearing. She sounded distressed.

Yet moments before he finally fell unconscious, before he took his final sleep, he heard her utter a few choice words. " _No. There's still a way_."

* * *

He gasped for air, waking up from the short nightmare he had experienced. He turned over and brought himself to his knees, his hand on the red blotch on his uniform. "What happened?" he whispered to himself. He tried to get up, but fell back to his knees, his body tired and weak. He glanced around the floor, seeing a red pendant. He took it with him as he groggily stood up, swaying to and fro.

It was slow, and painful, but soon he found himself back home. His unlit home that was empty of any other soul inside it. He brought himself to the living room, collapsing onto the tatami mat. He was still gasping for air, his body completely exhausted even before he forced himself back home. His tired eyes were locked to the ceiling as his thoughts went back to the school.

"The blue skinned man, and the woman in green…" he muttered to himself. He brought his hand to his chest, where the lance had pierced him. "Who were those two? They were far beyond ordinary humans."

"So I really was almost killed. No…" he remembered the moment the lance was pulled out of him. "I _was_ killed."

He sat himself up, remembering the red pendant he had in his pocket. Of the feminine voice as he lost consciousness. "But I was saved. By who, I don't know…" his eyes closed. "I wish I could at least thank them."

 _KRING_

He heard the sound of bells jingling, a security measure. He looked up in alert, seeing a specter appear before him, lance aimed directly at him. Immediately Shirou dodged the strike, tumbling over the table as the assailant landed. He groaned in pain, before going back on alert again, picking up a rolled poster, wielding it like a sword.

The blue skinned figure was still crouched where his lance struck the mat. "We apologize. But we must do this." They said, genuinely.

The figure stood up, plucking the lance and aiming it at him. "Regardless of the time, of the place. The world is filled with the blood of the innocents."

Shirou braced himself, denying the inevitable. " _Trace on._ " He chanted, the poster now glowing as he reinforced it.

The figure took note of it, nodding. "You wish to fight back? Then we will acknowledge it in kind."

They slowly danced around the table, Shirou keeping up his guard. " _Reinforcing composite materials._ "

The lance wielder struck the first blow, the lance deflected by the reinforced poster, though still managing a grazing hit on Shirou's arm. He winced as the figure brought their spear back, taking a more relaxed stance. They nodded. "That explains why this one is still alive." They said observantly. "Traces of mana? Then that means that you are a magus. Be proud, for you are a light in the darkness."

The Lancer struck again, Shirou staying on the defensive as they traded blows with one another. He forced himself out of the living room, trying to get to the one open space he has in his house as he rushed outside. He did not wait, crashing through the window, leaving behind scratches and tears on his body and uniform.

He tried getting himself back up, but knew that he was too late when he noticed the blunt end of the lance being swung at him. He held the poster before himself, his body sent tumbling as the poster and lance met one another. This time, he landed on his knees and hands, allowing him to move immediately when he stopped tumbling, the Lancer already aiming their lance at him. He rushed towards his storage room, and once again felt death approaching him. He spun on his heel, poster unrolled as a makeshift shield.

The golden lance met the poster, but it was too much. The piece of reinforced paper glowed in a magical hue, overloaded before being shred to pieces, the effect sending Shirou onto the floor.

"We admire your tenacity, and your creativity." The figure said, their voice not laced with any sort of sarcasm or condescension. "Such potential. Perhaps you were meant to be the seventh Master?" they aimed their lance once more, ready to strike. "If so, then know that you have our sympathies. We do not wish for this."

"If you don't wish for this, then why are you doing this?!" Shirou barked out, facing his killer. "I died, because of you, but I was saved. And because of that, I will not give up! Not while I can repay them and fulfill my duty! That's impossible if I'm dead!"

Unbeknownst to either of them, a magic circle was glowing beneath the pile of boxes that were covering it. "I will not die because of some pathetic reason!" Shirou declared, his left hand on his healed wound, a the mark from earlier becoming clearer, more distinct. "I will not be killed by some mindless murderer!"

The declaration awakened the circle, power coursing through it as the contract was called. And right before them, a figure materialized in a grey haze, approaching them with ungodly speed. The Lancer was barely able to respond as they were kicked out of the workshop. Standing right in front of him, was a fit figure dressed in a heavy dark blue cloak with golden accents. A light cuirass was visible beneath the cloak, with patterns shared by their gauntlets and boots. Hoisting their brown, leather pants was a specialized belt that holstered an array of knives. In their right hand was an ornate looking scythe.

"I ask of you." The figure turned to face him, and Shirou could see the cloak covered their face as well. Despite the situation, Shirou noticed a playful glint in their eyes. Their white, milky eyes that shined under the moonlight. "Are you my Master?"

Shirou was stunned silent at the person, this woman based on her voice, by their everything. Appearing out of nowhere, saving his life, then calling him what? "Master?"

She bowed to him, her free hand raised in a respectful manner. "I, Servant Saber, have answered your summons." She said, straightening herself back up again. "Orders?"

Shirou was interrupted by the numbing pain on his hand, the woman herself looking back at the Lancer she had struck. "My blade is your will, my fate is in your hands." She brought the scythe bear, ready to strike once more. "And with that, our contract is formed."

Then she disappeared, leaving behind a wave of dust in her wake as if blinking out of existing, reappearing right next to the Lancer. The Lancer didn't even get a chance to respond, the scythe obliterating them into nothing but golden dust. Another Lancer appeared behind her, the lance failing to find purchase as she dodged the sneak attack effortlessly. Golden particles filled the night as another one of Lancer's illusion was decimated. This time two Lancers appeared, running from opposite sides to flank Saber. Yet even with their coordinated attacks, she moved out of the way of their lances, pulling one illusion's lance to strike the other, following with her own strike at the disarmed illusion.

Shirou finally got off the floor, making his way towards backyard, seeing how this lithe woman was making a fool of his would be killer. He was speechless, awestruck at the woman's skills and expertise, to a point that the question he had on his mind was forgotten. Both of these beings continued trading blows, most of the time the Lancer being turned to dust as Saber's scythe struck them down. There were few moments where she did not dodge, yet Lancer's weapon still only clashed with the unordinary blade, as if their efforts were incapable of finding the woman's flesh.

Even with them going full on offensive, Saber was unfazed. No matter how many illusions they throw at her, their numbers were made completely irrelevant. The very definition of Quality over Quantity. With five coordinated attacks from five illusions, she still came out of it on top. Even as two of them locking her weapon with their lances, she blinked away from them, six daggers now in her hands. She threw five of them at the clumped illusions, and the one at the singled out Lancer. They deflected the dagger with ease. Unfortunately, she had closed in on them, scythe back in her hand.

For the first time since they've been summoned, Lancer felt the cold grasp of the void surrounding them. On instinct, they moved, just a little.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

But it was enough. They felt their form being shredded, but they still stand. A huge, bloodied gash across their abdomen as they backed away from Saber, herself in a crouched stance. Lancer stood on one knee, hand clutching the wound as they appraised the scythe wielder.

"Such a simple Noble Phantasm, yet a deadly one." They commented with respect. "We wondered why one would have such an unwieldy weapon."

Saber responded with a chuckle, standing herself up straight. "Well of course! Scythes are a farmer's tools after all. But my call to fame is not my weapon, but my technique." She replied to them, planting the blunt edge of the scythe on the ground. "A technique that I can perform with any blade. So everyone else should be grateful! Because if it were not for this handicap, the chance for victory will be slim to none." She declared, raising the scythe again as she went back to her stance.

"Then let us respond in kind." Once more, golden shimmers appeared around her, their lances trained at her. Then as one, the bladed tip of the lance began to spin, glowing with golden light. Both Saber and Shirou could feel the magical energy pooling around them, Saber herself bracing herself for the inevitable. Then as mirror reflections of one another, they raised their lances to the skies.

" _Spirit Lance!_ "

As one, they all plunged their weapons into the ground, a golden bolt of energy erupting from their weapons. Flying towards Saber, she swung her scythe to try and deflect a few of the bolts, but found herself being caught by the others. She felt it, her body now lethargic. She scoffed, especially when the illusions began to disappear.

"Do you take me for a fool, Lancer?" she called out, feeling insulted. "Even a child could tell that was not a Noble Phantasm. Something that could be shaken off by my Magical Resistance could barely count as one!"

The Lancer let out a defeated sigh, steadily standing themselves up. "It seems you truly are too much for us." They admitted through ragged breaths. "Will you allow us a chance to retreat?"

Saber scoffed again, throwing a dagger at Lancer. Dispersing into another mote of golden particles, the illusion was gone. "You already have." She said to no one in particular, not feeling their presence no longer.

Seeing that the battle was over, Shirou shook himself out of the reverie, walking towards the cloaked woman that had saved his life. She did not look worse for wear. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked with concern.

She turned to him, holding her scythe on her shoulder. "Physically peachy, but I expected more from that duel." She admitted.

Shirou shook his head. This person, the one that chased after him, and the one at school, they were not human. Humans were incapable of the strength, the destruction, the tenacity that was displayed by all of them. "What are you?" he asked.

She tilted her head, confused by the question. "I'm a Saber-class Servant." He felt that she was smiling beneath the shroud that covered her face. "Because of so, please refer to me as Saber."

Some sort of title, he figure. He replied in kind. "My name's Shirou. Emiya Shirou." He scratched the back of his head, wondering on where to begin. "Uhm, uh…" the words failed him.

"Shirou, huh? I get it, you're not a legitimate Master. Is that right?" he flinched back, as if accused. "Regardless, you're my Master."

He raised his hand to stop her. "Please, please don't. It's weird, calling me Master, especially since we've just met and all."

She tilted her head again, giggling. She appeared to be amused. "Then shall I call you Shriou, then? It rolls off the tongue easier."

Shirou flinched when he felt a numbing pain coming from his left hand. Bringing it up closer, her gasped when he noticed a pattern had appeared. A distinct angular pattern. "What did these come from?" he asked.

"They're called Command Spells, Shirou. Please use them sparingly." Saber said to him.

He didn't quite understand what was going on, but he nodded anyway. "I'll try." He noticed her walking inside his house. "Uh, where are you going?"

"There appears to be an unknown presence making their way towards us." She glanced back to him, with the amused glint in her eyes. "I figured I'll meet them in the front." She said, disappearing inside.

"Wait, what?" he responded, even though she was already gone. "What's that supposed to mean? Are they friendly? Hostile?" he kept on asking, chasing after her.

He rushed through his house, the pain from earlier that night forgotten, as he was now mostly confused at the sequence of events that played out in the past few hours. He stepped out to the street, seeing Saber standing before two people. Immediately he recognized one of them, the green clad Archer, who appears to be on the defensive. " _Was Saber that dangerous?_ " he thought to himself, slowly walking towards them.

"Saber, are they friendly?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

She gave him a quick glance. "I don't know. They haven't answered my question yet."

"Parley!" another voice spoke out, Shirou letting out a sigh of relief. Even more conflict that night would do him no good. "We're here to parley!"

With an indifferent shrug, Saber dematerialized her scythe, the Archer following suit with her bow. Saber moved herself to the side, allowing Shirou to talk face to face with the other Master that had presented themselves.

His eyes widened when he saw the familiar face of the school idol, her distinct regal red coat draped over her. She was appraising him, her diplomatic smile on her face. "It's nice to see we can at least start off on a good note."

Her aqua eyes reflected the moonlight as she greeted him. "For starters, good evening." This time, her smile was genuine, her head tilting ever so slightly. "Emiya-kun."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

i debated with myself, on whether i should write Shirou's PoV of the prologue or not. because, unlike Rin's (who summoned her servant quite early, so she could have her new scenes earlier as well), it's not until the last third of the "episode" where we get to see Saber. ultimately, i decided on doing so, because there **were** some new scenes, new changes, new discrepancies that occurred even before Rin summoned Archer. we'll be seeing the complete changes in the upcoming chapters. so, hopefully you'll get through this rather slow start, because now that we have the servants summoned, even similar scenes will be different.

now, onto the servants!

PL, pretty much the only "Lancer" Dota 2 has. i mean, it's in his name, how can it not be? it's almost like how the Fuyuki HGWs can only summon the Hassans as Assassins.

anyways, the main difference between him and Cu Chulainn. as a "hero", i'd say PL is weaker. he relies on his illusions after all. personality wise, though i would say PL is nicer, he lacks the sort of honor Cu has in battle. unsurprising, Cu was one that always sought after a challenge, where as PL was a fisherman before he became what he was. hence why PL tends to be more overtly respectful of his opponents.

and onto Saber! (we'll prolly gloss over her next chapter too.) some of you have figured it out, but i'll refrain from outright saying who she is.

compared to our familiar female King Arthur, this Saber doesn't really have any sort of honor. has some sort of false lackadaisical attitude, pretty much ended up being a female version of Cu. unlike Artoria, she appears to not take things too seriously. in fact, she enjoys every little moment she can. as evident in the last scene. Artoria was determined to get the Grail, so she's almost always ready to face her opponents to reach her goal. our Saber simply waltz towards our guests.

with that out of the way, hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter! R&R if you want to, it'll be highly appreciated!

see you all next time!


	3. The Rogue Knight

_**The Rogue Knight**_

"Wow, it's freezing!" complained a certain redcoat wearing teen, her arms wrapped around herself. "What is this? Why do you have a hole in your window?!"

"You can't blame me for that." Retorted the auburn haired teen, standing beside her with a hand in his pocket. "I got attacked by that Lancer guy."

"Huh? You fought him on your own before you summoned Saber?" she asked in disbelief.

"Not really. He just kicked my ass." Came his displeased answer.

"Ooh? Not even trying to make yourself look good?" she said, head tilted slightly. "I see, when it comes to you, it really is "what you see is what you get," isn't it?"

She crouched down before the shattered window, pricking her finger with one of the shards, enough to draw blood. " _Minuten vor Schweißen._ " A light blue aura enveloped her hand and the window, and slowly the shattered shards floated in the air, reattaching itself back. The window looked good as new.

Shirou planted his hand on the window, awestruck. "Tohsaka..." their eyes met through the reflection. "You really are a magus, huh?"

"You're one too, aren't you?" she said back to him.

"Not really. I can't do anything like this." His hand returned back to its side.

"What do you mean, you can't?" a surprised expression visible on the girl's face. "Working with glass is the most basic of basics."

He glanced back to her. "I don't know any of these _basics_ or _fundamentals_."

Rin let out a defeated sigh behind him. "Seriously, how did someone like _you_ manage to summon Saber?" she said, a hand on the side of her forehead. "Well, whatever. First thing first, I need to repay you for earlier."

She spun around to meet him face to face, wearing a determined look. "Well then, shall we?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Shirou replied unsurely, gesturing the Tohsaka heiress along to follow him as he walked back to the living room.

The short walk was mostly quiet, the both of them silently agreeing to save their words later. Stepping inside, they would've made their way towards the table, but their eyes were set on the person that was already inside it.

A teal skinned woman was sat leaning against the slide door, stretching her arms above her head with her legs outstretched and spread apart. Right beside her was her neatly folded cloak with her cuirass, gloves and boots placed above them. Her raven hair was done in a ponytail, possibly reaching her waist if not done so. A content look was plastered on her face as her arms came back down to her sides, a pleased sigh escaping her lips. She seemed to be in a world on her own, before her head snapped in the direction of where Shirou and Rin were standing, two pairs own eyes meeting the one.

"Do I have something on my face?" Saber asked, tilting her head.

Both teens turned to each other, sharing a glance before facing the servant again. "Uh, nothing." Shirou replied for the both of them.

A smile formed on her face. "I hope you don't mind me taking advantage of being alive again." she stretched her arms to her front this time.

Shirou scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Uh, sure, go ahead." He said before making his way to the kitchen.

Rin herself made her way to table, sitting herself opposite of where Saber was. She waited for the teenage boy to return, carrying a cup and kettle for her. She poured herself the drink as he sat down opposite her, in front of Saber.

She took a sip of the warm tea, showing off the elegance that she displays at school. "Alright, let's get down to business." She said, lowering the cup. "You have no idea what you got dragged into, do you?"

Shirou nodded, grunting in affirmation.

"To be blunt, you've been chosen as a Master." She told him. "Have you noticed a brand somewhere on your body?"

"A brand?" Shirou thought aloud.

"The Command Spell on your hand, Shirou." Added Saber from behind him. He turned to face her, being reminded of her current, unthreatening demeanor and attire.

"You mean these?" he brought his left hand above the table.

"Yes, they symbolize your status as a Master." Rin continued. "They're also spells which bind your Servant. So as long as you have those, you can control your Servant."

"What do you mean, as long as I have these?"

"Command Spells are inviolable orders. They force your Servant's obedience, even if it means bending them to your will." Rin had both her hands together on the table. "However, you only get three such orders, so try not to waste them. If you use them all, you'll probably be killed, so I suggest you exercise caution."

Shirou, who had been looking down on said Command Spells, looked up to meet Rin's eyes. "Killed?"

"That's right. The Holy Grail War is based around Masters defeating other Masters." She replied bluntly. "Whichever one of them prevails over the others will win the Holy Grail, which can grant any wish."

"Wait, hold on just a moment. What do you mean by Holy Grail?" Shirou butted in.

"Long story short, you've been dragged into a ritual. One called the Holy Grail War, fought by seven Masters," her eyes locked with his. "a battle to the death between magi."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shirou responded, leaning closer with a furrowed brow, not liking what he was hearing.

"I'm simply laying out the facts." She closed her eyes in the middle of her exposition. "Besides, it should be obvious at this point. You almost died twice by the hands of a Servant."

Shirou let out a grunt of disapproval, his attention brought down to the table. "Convinced yet? I was also chosen as a Master." She gestured towards her own Command Spells. "Think of your Servant as a familiar, granted to you by the Grail to help you win."

Shirou gave a short glance towards Saber, who had her eyes closed but seemed to be following the conversation. "She doesn't look much like a familiar to me."

"Of course not." Rin agreed. "Though technically classified as such, Servants are actually superhuman beings; heroes from the past."

"From the past?" Shirou repeated. "Saber too?"

"That's right." Rin affirmed, not sharing the little bit of information Archer had given her early on in their tenure as a team, information that she was slowly coming to believe herself. "Servants are heroes summoned from legends; be they ancient or modern, into our time and given physical forms. It's the Master's role to summon them, upon which they are manifested through the Grail."

"Basically, they're always with you in Spirit form. And should the need arise, you can make them materialize." She added.

"So that woman in green can transform at will as well?" Shirou asked, thinking of the bow wielder.

"That's Archer." Rin answered with a nod. "She's keeping watch outside for the moment."

Silence reigned in for a brief moment before the Tohsaka heiress continued. "Do you understand everything so far?"

"Some of it." Shirou answered reluctantly.

"Anymore than that, then we'd have to go to the Overseer." Rin added. "All I can tell you is that you have no choice but to fight, and that Servants are powerful familiars, so you should use yours as well."

Leaving Shirou to contemplate on the information, Rin took one last sip of her tea before shifting her attention to the Servant in the room. "Now, by the look of things, it seems you're in an incomplete state?"

Saber shrugged, keeping her eyes closed. "Temporarily."

Rin raised a brow at the roundabout answer. "Temporarily? What do you mean by that?"

Saber smirked as she opened her eyes. "It's true that, because of the "unique" circumstances in which I was summoned, that I'm not at my optimal strength, but it won't be long till I reach a more satisfactory level. You can say there are also sacrifices because of some unique qualities I have as a Servant."

"Sacrifices? Such as?" Now Rin grew curious, and slightly worried. Shirou himself was now staring at his Servant with growing anxiety.

"Right now, I'm incapable of shifting into my Spirit form. Fortunately, something like that is not a detriment to me, not including the fact that I will probably be capable of such soon."

"Really? You can confidently say that walking around, materialized, will not be a detriment?" Rin responded in disbelief. Her eyebrow twitched when the Servant smirked at her.

"Yes. I also do not require intense amounts of mana to reach my optimal state. All this, tracing back to those "unique qualities" I mentioned a second ago." Saber brought a knee closer to her chest.

"What are you two talking about?" Shirou asked before Rin could respond with further disbelief.

Rin turned to her schoolmate, an annoyed look now gracing her features. "Servants maintain their existence here, with mana supplied by their Masters. Because you're a novice, Saber would not be able to get mana from you directly. Though apparently, she's not that bothered by it."

Shirou then turned to his Servant, seeing the smirk on her face being replaced with a soft smile when their eyes met. "You said it wouldn't take much for you to reach your optimal state." Saber nodded. "Can you… become stronger, with more mana?"

"Absolutely. But you'd die." She answered flatly.

"What?" both Rin and Shirou responded, shocked.

"Again, those "unique qualities" of mine. Shirou can maintain me perfectly once I reach my optimal state, but to go beyond that would be suicide even for you, Rin." Saber's smile disappeared as she further explained her situation.

Rin's brows furrowed as she glared at the Servant. "It's your Noble Phantasm, isn't it?"

Saber's smirk returned upon the being queried. "Who knows?"

Shirou sighed with relief, knowing that his life is not in immediate danger. Rin on the other hand had buried her face in her hands, shoulders slumped. "Tohsaka?" he asked her out of concern.

"All this time, I've wanted Saber so much, and berated myself for failing to summon a Saber-class Servant." She mumbled through her hands, her defeatist tone audible. "I can't imagine what kind of stress I would've gone through had I actually summoned Saber."

Shirou sighed again, though less from relief hearing Rin pour her frustration out before him. He glanced towards Saber, seeing her let out silent chuckles at the scene. They let the Tohsaka heiress wallow on her own until she was ready to proceed. Fortunately for them, it wasn't long till she stood up from the table, her face back to a more determined look.

"Alright, shall we go?" she declared.

"Go? To where?" asked the confused Shirou, slowly standing up himself

"To the Overseer, of course. You want to know what all of this is for, don't you?" she asked.

Shirou wanted to protest, considering how late it was, but sighed relenting. He nodded before answering her. "Alright, just let me get changed first."

Saber, followed suit what her Master was doing, reequipped her armor. "Where are we heading to, anyway?"

Rin stared at the Servant as she had finished adjusting her cuirass. "The church over at Shinto."

* * *

After having shed his ripped and bloodstained uniform, replacing them with a clean set of jeans and jacket, they all head out in the middle of the night. Walking in the empty streets of Miyama with no public transportation available to them. Not a single soul but them on this post midnight district. They mostly walked in silence, with Rin leading them and Shirou and Saber walking side by side behind her. When they were upon the brick path by the channel, Shirou glanced towards his Servant, seeing the way she walked, her relaxed posture and seemingly casual demeanor. But he knew that even so, she was not to be underestimated.

"We're lucky she wears a cloak, and a dark one at that." Rin said, facing them as she waited for them to catch up. "Otherwise it would be too suspicious for her to be walking around materialized."

"Hey, are you planning on walking all the way across the city?" he asked as Rin continued leading them.

"Of course." She replied in affirmative.

"You know it's been dangerous out lately, right?" he told her. "I can't guarantee your safety if things go south."

"Don't worry. You seem to be forgetting just how insanely strong Saber is." She said back to him, seemingly not too overly concerned.

They went back to walking, but the silence was broken once more, this time by the Servant. "Shirou, are you saying you would've done something if trouble were to present themselves?"

Rin replied before he could. "Mhm, he was saying that he'll leap to our rescue if we get attacked."

"Oh, are you saying that I actually have a suicidal Master?" Saber responded, worry in her voice but both teens could tell she was teasing him.

Rin turned to the both of them with a smile on her face. "Probably not so much like that. He doesn't care about Masters, or Servants, or things like that." She said, moving towards the railing that barred the path from the channel.

"What are you implying?" Shirou asked, irritated as Rin leaned herself on the railing, her hair billowing with the wind that greeted them.

They continued on their trek after Rin declined from responding to him. Crossing the bridge and making their way towards Shinto, and then another some distance away before they reach the inclined path towards the church. It wasn't long till the metal bars of the church gates were in sight.

"I'll keep watch outside." Saber said, not moving beyond the gates.

Rin raised a brow at that. "You don't need to worry about that, Saber. We have Archer, remember?"

"Yeah, but two eyes are better than one, yeah?" she replied. "Besides, houses of worship never did give off a good vibe to me."

Both teens glanced at each other, before turning back to Saber. "Alright then, we'll see you later." Rin said with a nod, leaving the Servant outside.

Saber heard them ponder on the reason why she wished to stay outside as they made their way towards the church, chuckling at the thought that she could've just answered that it simply was because she wanted to taste the peaceful night sky. Sure, she actually was telling the truth when she said that houses of worship unnerved her, but that wasn't her real reason. After all, she wouldn't have let such a thing stop her back when she was alive.

She looked back at the church, her eyes trailing upwards to see Archer standing on the bell tower, doing exactly as Rin had said. " _Yeah, I do recognize them._ " She thought, before bring her gaze back to the street leading up to the gates.

* * *

The loud creaking sound of the church doors opening signaled the return of the Masters, both of them wearing displeased expressions. Saber herself was glancing back to see that the Overseer had stepped outside, hands behind his back. Her brows furrowed upon examining the priest's features; she did not trust the man.

"Rejoice, boy." He announced, his voice carrying itself all the way across the courtyard. "Your wish will finally come true."

Shirou stopped in his tracks to glance back at the priest that was addressing him. "Surely you've realized, that your wish cannot come true without a clear and distinct evil. Though you may refuse to admit it, a hero of justice must have an evil to defeat."

The priest smiled while Shirou himself kept the frown on his face, leading both himself and Rin out of the premises of the church. Saber was still outside, waiting patiently for the both of them.

"So we're all done here?" Saber asked, noting the displeased look Shirou had.

"Yeah." He replied while Rin closed the gates behind them.

"And?" Saber, despite her indifferent façade, was still waiting to know where Shirou stood.

He turned around to face her properly. "I have decided to fight as a Master. Will you agree to me as your Master, Saber?" he declared to her.

Saber let out an amused chuckle. "You don't really need me to agree, Shirou. You have been my Master since you summoned me. I swore to it, didn't I?"

"Right, in that case…" he balled his fists as gathered himself, eyes closed. When he opened them again, he looked to her with determination. "I will be your Master."

He held out his hand, offering a hand shake. "I'll be counting on you, Saber."

This time, her chuckles were loud, before meeting her hand with his. "Right back at you, _Master_."

Within his own mind, a more personal declaration was announced inside Shirou's head. With the truth that the fire that he survived ten years ago was caused by the previous Holy Grail War, he will makes sure that something like that will never happen again. To make sure no one misuses such an omnipotent object, to a point where they unleash such destruction.

With their business concluded, they proceeded to make their way home. Walking down the declining path between the western graveyards. When they were halfway down, the redcoat wearing girl stopped, prompting the people behind her to do so as well. "Tohsaka?" Shirou asked.

"No offense, but you should go home on your own." She said to him, keeping her back to him.

"Huh?"

"I brought you here because you weren't officially my enemy yet." She said, turning to the side to face him. "But now, you're a fellow Master, Emiya-kun."

"I have no intention of fighting you, Tohsaka." He said right back at her.

She glared at him, before sighing. "I should have known." She said, covering her face with her hand. "Jeez, why did I even bother bringing you here?"

" _Rin._ " Archer materialized before them, her hands on the back of her head.

"Yes?"

"I think a certain someone here is asking for an alliance of sorts." Archer told her, a soft smile forming on her face.

Rin looked surprised at her Servant, before letting out a relenting sigh. "I get that, Archer. But don't you think it's a little early for alliances?"

"Really? I think it's the perfect time, especially since there's still an open spot." A knowing look graced her face, alongside a smirk. "Oh? Don't tell me; you're not ready to face your fee-"

"O-of course not!" Rin interrupted, a blush forming on her face. A blush that she was thankful the Shirou would not see because she had her back to him. She sighed, remembering just how much of a handful her Servant can get. "Look, this is all new to me, so let me think on it first, ok?"

Archer raised a brow at her Master's answer, clearly unconvinced. She chuckled as she shook her head. "All I'm saying is, young Shirou over there is clearly not averse to such prospects."

"I know, I know!" Rin replied, growing slightly irritated.

"Uh, Tohsaka?" Shirou asked as he approached the girl.

"Its fine, everything's fine." Rin said, calming herself down.

"Rin." Archer called out again, this time her voice no longer carrying its teasing tone. Saber had spun on her heel at the same time. Both Servants kept their eyes on the presence that made themselves known.

"Hey, are you done chatting?" a young girlish voice asked.

Both Masters followed the trail of where their Servants were gazing, seeing a young girl dressed in a purple winter coat (one that Shirou recognized). And to their horror, a much larger form just standing right behind her. A form that easily doubled the height of their Servants, and carried a bulk that neither could. Covered head to toe with armor to the point where its flesh was completely not visible. Its torso decked out in blue plate armor with a shoulder slung blue cape. Its cuisse was covered with a blue quilt. It wore a distinct helmet with horns protruding outward at each side, its eyes glowing with an almost crackling thunder. What was most frightening, however, was the sword that it had planted on the ground behind the little girl. A glowing blue sword that was taller than the figure itself, sporting what looked like three massive blades welded together.

"No way." Rin said in an almost whisper. "Berserker."

"Good evening, Onii-chan." The little girl said, greeting Shirou in particular. "This is the second time we've met like this."

That confirmed it for Shirou, remembering the little girl from a couple of nights ago. The words she said to him ringing in his ears. Both himself and Rin were frozen where they stood, as the little girl walked forward a few steps. She then curtsied.

"It's nice to meet you too, Rin." she said, formally acknowledging the twin tailed girl. "My name's Ilya. Ilyasviel von Einzbern." She locked eyes with Rin. "You know the name " _Einzbern,"_ don't you?"

"Einzbern…" Rin whispered, earning a worried glance from Shirou. Both Servants were on alert, prepared for the inevitable. Rin's eyes scanned the giant of a Servant, assessing its capabilities. "Amazing, as far as raw ability, that thing outclasses even Saber. Especially with her "condition.""

"Damn straight, absolutely terrifying." Archer commented, her voice matching Rin's volume. "It could face all other six Servants and wouldn't even break a sweat. Rin, that alliance…"

"Is something that's sounding far more appealing now." Rin said, finishing her Servant's train of thought. She turned to the boy next to her. "Emiya-kun. What do you think of the idea of us working together right now?"

"I'd prefer until the end of the War." He answered, trying to assess the Servant's strengths.

Rin scoffed, but she did not decline. "Archer, time to show how much of an Archer you are."

"Gladly." Archer replied before being blanketed by a gust of wind, launching her away from them.

"Saber-"

"You don't need to tell me anything." Saber interrupted, materializing her scythe.

Rin huffed, before turning to Shirou. "Emiya-kun… it's best that you run." Shirou was about to protest, but was cut off by the Einzbern.

"Finished with your little strategy meeting?" she called out. "Shall we begin?"

The tension grew between them, as the little girl smiled menacingly. "Alright. Get them, Berserker."

A wave erupted from the giant Servant, as its blue armor shifted, changing to a more fiery red. The ground it stood on shattered as the sword it wielded with both its hands was brought to bear.

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!** " the Servant cried out, before launching itself at them, sword pulled back ready to be swung.

"Get back you two!" Saber yelled, preparing her scythe to counter.

The call of a hawk filled the night sky amidst the raging roar of the Berserker, before it exploded in an explosion of green light, propelling them off to a more open field. Archer's arrows have found their mark, as more and more rained down upon it, all masterfully shielded by the massive sword it wielded. Another hawk's cry filled their ears, followed with another explosion. All it did was leave a crater where Berserker stood, sword still shielding it from anymore barrages.

"No way…" Rin said in disbelief at the Servant's display.

Before either could react, Berserker had launched itself off from the crater, appearing between the two teens. "Emiya-kun!" Rin cried out, seeing the sword about to destroy her friend.

But another explosion sent the Servant back, ones almost as powerful as the arrows Archer had fired. Both teens turned to see Saber holding a set of daggers on her offhand. She sent them flying at Berserker, causing it to slide back with each explosion, leaving behind dragged footprints as Saber then closed the distance between them. Disappearing from one spot, and blinking to the next, her scythe striking Berserker's massive sword as the maddened Servant turned just in time to block one of Saber's destructive attacks.

Berserker then pushed Saber away with the flat of its blade, before swinging its swords at her. She dodged the first swing, deftly dancing away with practiced movements, and deflected the other one with her scythe as it came swinging back. She retaliated, but her own attack was held back by the sword. The ground shattered as waves upon waves erupted when the massive sword and the scythe met.

She leaped back, making room to breathe and prepared herself for another attack. One that came to her, as Berserker chased after her, bring the sword down with both its hands. She countered.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

The sword implanted itself behind her, digging itself deep as it left behind another crater after her attack successfully disarmed Berserker. She pulled back, ready to end it.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

" _ **VIGIL SIGNET!**_ "

An ornate shield materialized on Berserker's left arm, tanking Saber's Noble Phantasm with its own. A gold and silver layered shield that bear the pattern of a sword at its center, topped with a glowing blue gem. The meeting of Noble Phantasms erupted the very ground they stood on, both teens pushed back from the wave. Even the Einzbern had to hold on to a railing she was standing beside. Saber's eyes were wide with the look of surprise, before one of amusement and recognition replaced them.

The gem then shifted into a fiery red, just like Berserker itself, before flaring open like a bird spreading its wings. Its left hand swung wide, pushing Saber away with its shield, before Berserker continued on swinging, using its now red shield as another one of its weapons. The last attack sent Saber flying, as she used her scythe to carry her along with the swing. With distance created between them, Berserker moved to retrieve its implanted sword, pulling it out with ease.

"You must've been one hell of a warrior when you were alive." Saber commented, her amusement audible to everyone. "This'll be fun."

"Archer!" Rin called out.

On the other side of the city, atop one of the many buildings, Archer had her green bow aimed at the massive Servant, the battle viewed with perfect clarity even with her one eye. "Truly a frightening visage." She commented, drawing her bow again. The knocked arrow was bathed in green energy. "I wonder if I knew you in life." Her words spoken, she released her arrow.

The air rippled as the green comet flew above the city, bathing it briefly under a green light as the cry of a hawk filled their ears.

Berserker barely reacted, already bringing up its shield just as the arrow was about to find purchase, causing another green explosion to bathe it. The Einzbern let out a disappointed sigh as she witnessed the battle.

"Shit, I should've known better." Archer said, realizing that just moments ago, Berserker had brought out its shield.

"Finish her, Berserker." The Einzbern ordered, growing tired of the spectacle.

The maddened Servant rushed toward Saber, this time going all out in its attack, using both its massive sword and shield. Feeling herself back into a figurative corner, Saber blinked out away from it, appearing a good distance on the opposite side of the field, daggers drawn in her offhand.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

She threw her daggers with the same force as her attack as if she were dealing a killing blow, Berserker's charge held back as she dispensed her Noble Phantasm from range.

Rin, feeling affronted, rushed towards the held back Servant, pulling out a dark purple gem before throwing it at Berserker.

"Archer!" she called out again as the maddened Servant was encased in a purple prison, rains of green arrows landing on it. The ground was further destroyed as another explosion erupted.

As the dust settled, Rin gasped, seeing that Berserker still managed to draw out the shield, coming out of it unscathed. Shirou himself was speechless, seeing the display that would not look out of place if one were to say that this Servant was some sort of demigod.

"Ignore their attempts at interference, Berserker. Their efforts are incapable of breaking through your Noble Phantasm after all." The Einzbern said to her Servant.

With another roar, Berserker rushed towards Saber, its massive sword already swinging. Saber herself used her scythe to shield the blow, using it to send her flying away from the field. She blinked away deeper into the forest.

"Follow her, Berserker." The little girl commanded, her Servant chasing after the Servant of the Blade into a secluded part of the cemetery. She followed suit, keeping a casual pace.

With the distancing battle, Rin surveyed the destruction the field had gone through from the battle, before running after the Einzbern. Shirou was shell shocked, his body frozen as he processed the fight in his mind. How such a monster existed defied all logic. His mind came to Rin's command before the fight, urging him to leave. He tempted to do so, before reminding himself of the Servant that was fighting that monster. His Servant. The one he had pledge himself to fight along. With a scowl of determination, he chased after them.

Rin meanwhile had chased after the Einzbern, weaving through the forest path, trying to find the spec of purple that was the little girl. Upon finding said spec, she raised her hand at her, a dark red orb materializing off the tip of her fingers. At her will, the curses were fired. Five curses flying towards the Einzbern girl, but before they could hit her target, a blur of white disrupted them. Stopping all five of her curses. She grimaced.

"My, how scary." The Einzbern girl said, as her familiars materialized. Two familiars in the shape of a pigeon constructed out of white lines. "Attacking without warning? You're like an animal, Rin." She glanced behind her to face the Tohsaka heiress. "Or is this the Tohsaka style of combat?"

Rin scoffed. "You're the one who announced the started this battle. Once it's begin, there's no sneak attacks." She retorted. "Or are you going to introduce yourself?"

The girl lost her smile, as Rin contemplated her situation, thinking up her best course of action, knowing that her curses were not going to be effective with the familiars around.

"Introduce myself? If you were him, I might consider it." The Einzbern finally replied. "But you don't interest me one bit. Besides… what use is there talking to someone who's about to die?"

Rin fired another set of curses, and once again they were disrupted by the familiars, now flying around the Einzbern before finally setting off to chase her. She fired more to stop them, but retreated back when they got too close to her, firing off on her. She ducked behind a large root of the forest they were in, shielding herself from more of the familiars attack. She measured her tactics once more, trying to determine the familiar's weaknesses.

"Ah, quite nimble, aren't you? Very well, I'll just use more." The Einzbern said, pulling out two of her hair, manifesting them into two more of her familiars.

"Oh come on!" she protested. "Well, no use complaining. We'll have to deal with them somehow." She said, pulling out more of her gems.

She got out of her hiding spot, meeting the little girl head on. "Oh, a frontal assault?"

Not bothering to wait, Rin threw out her gems, creating a massive green gem that served to shield her. She fired off more curses, shattering two of her familiars. About to fire off at the last familiars, she was halted when her green shield was destroyed, as one of the Einzbern's familiars and changed forms into a sword, not unlike Berserker's.

" _They can change?!_ " she thought to herself, feeling alarmed.

The little girl sighed, as her last familiar also changed into a sword. "And here I thought this was going to be fun."

The familiar rose higher, spinning in the air. "Prepare to die, Rin." The little girl said, as the familiar fired off at Rin.

The cry of a hawk signaled Rin's salvation, as the familiar was shattered by Archer's green arrow, giving her time to fully retreat. She maneuvered through the forest, finding a secluded dirt path that she was on, before resting herself on a tree, leaning tiredly as she gathered her breath.

" _Are you alright, Rin?_ " Archer asked telepathically. " _Was I on time?_ "

"Just about, Archer." Rin replied through ragged breaths. "If you didn't interfere, I would be dead." When her breathing was steady, she continued. "So where's Ilyasviel?"

" _Making her way towards Berserker and Saber. Oh, it seems like Saber's Master is also heading towards the fight._ "

"What?!" Rin was on full alert again. "What is that fool doing! He's gonna get himself killed!"

* * *

The auburn haired Master had finally caught up to where the fight was, standing at the edge of a secluded graveyard. The fight still seemed to be of an impasse between the two Servants, especially with Berserker obstructed by the tombstones that were around it while Saber had the luxury of her daggers. He was catching his breath, gathering himself after running all the way to this secluded area, completely unaware of the footsteps that were nearing him.

 _ **SMACK**_

Shirou lurched forward, rubbing the back of his head and turning to face the person that had smacked him. He saw the Master that had been helping him that night. "What are you doing, you idiot! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

Standing up straight to face his schoolmate, Shirou gave her a determined look. "I'm not gonna leave Saber alone, Tohsaka!"

"You're just a novice! What can you do to help her?!" she argued, none too pleased at his presence.

"That's wrong! That's gotta be something, anything I can do to help!" Shirou retorted, determined to stay.

"You're going to get yourself killed! Are you not listening to a single word I'm saying?!" she gestured to the fight between the two Servants. "Look, you see what she did? How she lured Berserker all the way here? That was to get the fight away from you!"

"That doesn't mean I can't do something!" he turned to Saber, seeing her leaping away from Berserker. "Saber!"

The Servant glanced to her Master, surprised to see him there. He stared at her with furrowed brows. "Do it!" he ordered.

She raised a brow, confused as to what he meant, before it dawned on her what it was. She smirked beneath her cloak, nodding at him. She could hear the Tohsaka heiress arguing with him, protesting his decision, but he was resolute and she knew it. She turned back to Berserker, seeing the maddened Servant still, as if waiting for her. She smirked before pulling off her cloak, using it to tie her hair. She sighed as she dematerialized her scythe.

"You know, I was not expecting to find the Rouge Knight as a foe in this life." She commented, a knowing smirk on her face.

Berserker growled, tightening its grip on its sword. " **IT'S** _ **ROGUE**_ **KNIGHT, NOT** _ **ROUGE**_ **KNIGHT!** " it roared out.

"Oh, it seems your Servant knows mine, Onii-chan." The Einzbern commented, slightly surprised.

"Of course I do! We were allies, after all." Saber said, gesturing at the Servant opposite of her.

" **IT WAS AN ALLIANCE OF CONVENIENCE!** " it roared back.

Saber chuckled, enjoying the situation. More so than either teenage Masters would like. "True, but it all worked out in the end. I even saved your ass a couple of times."

" **FROM YOUR OWN SISTERS,** _ **ASSASSIN.**_ " Berserker said with a low growl, emphasizing the last word in particular.

All the Masters widened their eyes are the revelation, one that Saber merely laughed at. "Saved you, nonetheless. Shame we stand against each other, Sven…" Saber held her right hand out, closing it on a grip. A fiery static formed to almost 2/3s of her height. "You looked better in blue."

In her hands was now a sword that befit her as a Saber-class Servant. A sword that was bathed in an orange fiery static, blinking in and out of existence as if it was struggling against reality itself. The cross-guard was decorated in a jagged, almost demonic looking pattern that covered lower part of the blade. What was most telling however was the hand that was holding it; Saber's right hand looked like as if her skin had charred and peeled off, leaving behind her inner tissue and muscle. Except it wasn't her tissue and muscle, but what looked like a shadow of her hand, almost transparent in a teal hue.

" **YOU ARE TO DRAW UPON THAT CURSED BLADE?!** " Berserker roared, pointing its sword at Saber.

She smiled at him, amused. "No different from you, drawing upon your _h̵e̶͠a͠͡t̴h́̀͜e͏́n͘͞ ͏s̶t́͝r̸e͜n̡g̵͜t̷̶̢h̶͡_." her voice became distorted, much to the horror of the teens.

Shirou clutched his chest, already feeling the drain Saber spoke of earlier that night. His breathing became ragged, his vision slowly becoming cloudy, his heart feeling as if it was constricting. Rin took notice of this, rushing to his side, trying to determine what was exactly wrong. He noticed that his hearing too became muffled, as he couldn't hear a single word she was saying.

Saber fell into stance, the blade almost vibrating in her hands. Berserker went into full defensive, raising its shield before her. Then she blinked towards him, leaving behind a small crater. Berserker took a quick step back, knowing if it didn't then she would've appeared behind the shield. As predicted, she appeared where he stood moments before, and swung her blade.

" _Coup de G͜͠rą͜c̡̛͡e!̨_ "

 _ **PING**_

The cursed sword struck the shield. Yet this time, instead of the sound of clashing steal, was the sound of a loud, almost deafening, pinging static. Berserker had succeeded in tanking the blow of the Noble Phantasm with its own, and yet it also did not. A large gash formed diagonally on its plate armor, blood now slowly seeping out. And behind it was something that all three Masters would remember. Something similar to a shadow, or a phantom, were images of Berserker falling to the blade. Different manners of how Berserker would die. The Einzbern in particular was wide eyed as Berserker took a few steps back from Saber, who had dematerialized the cursed sword.

She stood up from her stance, smiling at him. "How'd it feel to die in different lifetimes?"

Berserker clutched its wound, dematerializing both its sword and shield. The Einzbern kept her eyes on Saber, before shifting towards Shirou, glaring at the struggling boy. "It seems your Servant is more than she seems, Onii-chan. Looks like even we have to be weary. Come, Berserker. We'll continue this soiree some other time."

Berserker moved to her side, shifting back to its blue hue, before picking the Einzbern up and placing her on its shoulder. It left a crater behind as it leaped away, leaving behind the battlefield.

"Emiya-kun!" Saber turned to where the two remaining Masters were standing, seeing Rin holding Shirou as he slowly collapsed onto the ground. Saber rushed to their side the moment he started coughing up blood. "You idiot! What were you thinking!" she yelled out in worry.

"Come, Rin. We need to get him somewhere where he can rest and heal." Saber said, trying to calm the girl.

Rin was stunned by the Servant's calm demeanor, but nodded a she let Saber carry her Master. "We need to hurry back to his place. Archer, come pick us up!"

"I'm already here." Archer announced, landing behind them. She wasted no time, picking up Rin in a bridal carry. "Stick close to me, Saber." Saber nodded as the winds picked up around them. With Archer leading, both Servants leaped through the trees and skyscrapers, gliding through the air as the winds carried them.

Rin was in quiet contemplation, worried on account of her friend almost dying. She gave Saber a worried glance, seeing the mysterious Servant in a new light. One that was now terrifying her to her very core. And even more so than before, the prospect of an alliance was looking better than ever.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

and with that, the story will fully diverge from canon. new scenes, new scenarios, new stories, all from here on out. keep your hands on yours, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

now, let's go over the Servants again!

 **re:** _Penguini_

i was mostly saying how PL is the only true Lancer in jest. simply because his name is Phantom _Lancer_. Monkey King would also have been a great Lancer, but also possessing a halberd, i don't really see Legion Commander as a Lancer. the one stat Lancers strive on are their Agility, and she doesn't seem like an agile hero. honestly, i would've put her as a Rider, mostly as a nod to her Dota 1 counterpart.

on Berserker. you know, before i started this fic, i was struggling on which hero would be come Berserker. at one point, i rounded them down to three heroes; Alchemist, Ursa, and Sven. between the tree, i cut out Alchemist, because lore-wise he's pretty shit. just getting raged up to get out of prison, with the help of a Keen too. so between Ursa and Sven, i cut out Ursa, because i felt that a bear would be a bit too out of place. so Sven won.

he also has a slew of NPs available, so don't worry about that.

and more on Saber. we get to see more of her, playing hard to get with her roundabout answers. she can be quite powerful, if she ever accesses that other NP of hers to full capacity. in fact, if things go according to plan for the next chapter, we'll be seeing all her mysteries uncovered.

hope ya'll enjoyed that chapter! R&R if you can, what's important though is if you guys enjoyed it!

see you all next time!


	4. The Alliance

_**The Alliance**_

The sound of a muttered groan filled the spares bedroom, as an auburn haired boy groggily opened his eyes, the late morning sun peering through his door. He kept his eyes almost shut, as the sudden sunlight shocked his senses before his eyesight adjusted themselves. He brought his hands to his face, shielding his eyes.

"Ah, you're awake?" his eyes slowly trailed its way towards the source of the voice that announced itself. They came to a stop at the twin tailed girl sitting next to where he slept. "That's a good sign."

"Aaaah!" he shot out of his futon, backing away from her in a crawl. He stopped the moment he felt his chest constrict.

Rin sighed, seeing the apparent pain that Shirou was feeling. "It's a good thing it's the weekend. You need the rest."

"Tohsaka…" he said through gritted teeth, as his mind processed the events that happened the night before. They were all coming back to him. "I see. I passed out, and you brought me back here."

She scoffed. "Passed out? You almost killed yourself! Especially after what Saber warned you before." She said, shaking her head, clearly displeased by her schoolmate's disposition.

Shirou chuckled. "Well, at least she beat Berserker, right?" he said in a self deprecating manner.

Rin gave him a piercing glare, one that made the boy stop chuckling from how intense the glare was. She closed her eyes, sighing tiredly. "Well, I'll get out of your hair for a bit." She said, dusting herself as she stood up. "I'll be in your living room."

"Tohsaka." He called out, stopping Rin before she could leave. "About what you said yesterday, what Archer said-"

Rin held her hand up to stop him from continuing. "I know. Just rest for a moment, get dressed, I'll be in the living room just as I said, then we'll talk."

With a nod as his reply, she closed the sliding door behind her, her shadow leaving his view. With a grunt, Shirou got back inside his futon, his eyes locked on his bedroom ceiling, pondering on the events that shook his life for the past few days, and the implications on what it holds for the future. His eyes slowly closed, as his body took over, embracing the nap he needed. A little under an hour later, the sole occupant on the Japanese mansion left his room, dressed in a new fresh set of clothes. He stopped midway when he glanced outside to the backyard, seeing his Servant wearing her sleeveless undershirt and leather pants, all the while dancing with her eyes closed, humming a silent tune to herself. Shirou smiled, walking towards the patio, sitting down as he watched her elegant movements.

A few minutes passed before Saber ceased her dancing, letting out a content sigh as she opened her eyes to see her Master staring at her. "You're quite a good dancer, Saber." He commented.

She chuckled. "Yeah, it's one of the skills I picked up in the middle of my jobs." Shirou was reminded of what the maddened Servant said the night before, his expression turning grim before his smile returned. "I found that I enjoyed it, so I kept at it."

"Were you not allowed such interests?" he asked, though he had already guessed the answer.

She nodded, but she still had the sad smile on her face. "Let's continue this inside, Shirou. I'm sure Rin is waiting."

"You're right." He replied, standing up and walking back inside, Saber following behind him.

The living room was almost as he had expected it to be; Rin sitting there, drinking tea while she eyed the television once a while. Shirou however did not expect the green Archer sitting on one side of the table, apparently reading a book. A quick cursory glance showed she was reading a cook book, and she seemed oddly engrossed with it. Rin shifted her attention on him the moment he walked into the room, shutting the T.V. off so they could have a proper discussion as he sat himself opposite her. Saber opted to sit opposite of Archer, who had put the book down right in front of her, placing her chin on both her hands, casually shifting her eyes between the two Masters.

Rin felt her cheeks redden upon noticing her Servant's casual interest picking up, coughing both to start the discussion, and to remind herself that no; she was **not** blushing. "So, Emiya-kun. Let's get started." The boy nodded, bearing a completely serious look on his face. "I propose that we form an alliance between us."

"I accept." Came his immediate reply, earning a chuckle from both Servants.

Rin's eyebrow twitched, annoyed at his over eagerness. "Listen, Emiya-kun. You shouldn't just randomly accept some nonaggression pact with an enemy!"

"Huh? But you're not an enemy." He replied.

Rin sighed, bringing the palm of her hand to her face. "Fine, fine, I get it." She relented. "An alliance works to our advantage, especially with how dangerous Saber can potentially be." She shot the Servant an accusatory glare. Said Servant merely smirked back at her, clearly amused.

"So, is there anything we can bring onto the table?" Shirou asked to all three of them. "Things that we can help each other out?"

"There's another Master at school." Rin told them, with Archer nodding beside her.

"Really?" Shirou asked for assurance.

"Archer detected the presence of another Servant yesterday, but they didn't seem to be doing anything other than watch and observe." She further explained.

Shirou grimaced at the thought. "Is the Servant…"

Rin shook her head. "No, it's not Lancer. Archer said Lancer was a different Servant than the one at school. So far they've done nothing, and hopefully they consider the school to be their own sanctuary. But keep your eyes open, Emiya-kun."

"Right." Shirou nodded, taking the warning to heart.

"Oh, here's a little tidbit of information; one that I've come to believe is true based on the past couple of days." Archer spoke up after her Master. Rin nodded, already knowing what was on her Servant's mind. "I think all of us Servants aren't from this world."

"Ah, so you noticed too?" Saber said, causing Shirou to look between the three with a confused expression.

"Mhm. I did my own research the night I was summoned, but seeing Lancer, then you, and _especially_ Berserker cemented this as fact." Archer explained.

"So we can assume the other three Servants are all from the same world as you two?" Rin asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"It's safe to assume such." Saber added. She locked eyes with Archer. "Are you familiar with any of the Servants you came across?"

Archer shrugged. "Second hand accounts. I've only ever heard of their stories, but never met any of them directly. Including you, _Saber._ " Her voice grew quieter when she mentioned the Servant of the Sword.

Saber, on her part, simply smiled back. "Luckily for all of us, I'm familiar with all of them!" she said, her voice perking up. She leaned back on her arms, presenting a more casual air. "Funnily enough, Lancer back in our world, was known as the Phantom Lancer. In life, he was a fisherman, and he only became a hero after he died."

Both teens glanced at each other, their brows furrowing in confusion, before turning back to the Servant. "What do you mean?" Rin asked.

"Something happened that lead to the death of some mage and himself, and he; or more specifically, his spirit; lived on. Becoming known as the _Phantom_ Lancer." She explained. "Berserker is known as the Rogue Knight. A bastard son of an exiled knight, he joined his father's order and betrayed them from the inside, slaughtering many knights of the order."

A look of horror grew on the teens' faces. "That sounds brutal…" Shirou whispered.

Saber shrugged. "It was vengeance of a life wronged. He's way more chivalrous; way more of a knight than his title implies. Especially compared to his order." Her eyes then landed on Archer. " _She_ is the Windranger. Great protector and hero. There's really not much else to say."

Archer's eyes narrowed on Saber. "I don't know if I should be surprised or not that you know of me. Especially concerning whom you are."

Saber smirked, taking great pleasure at the situation before her. "You shouldn't. I am the Phantom Assassin, after all."

"Phantom? Are you…?" Shirou latched onto the specific word, his mind still fresh from what Saber was relaying to them.

She shook her head, knowing what he wanted to ask. "No. Unlike Lancer, I never died. I was merely called that because people tend to fear me, like some sort of phantom."

"And the fact that you know so much of the other Servants is because, aside from knowing them back when you were alive, you own order has extensive information on them, don't they?" Rin asked, already drawing to the conclusion.

The Servant nodded, pleased at the girl's intelligence. "Mhm. That's why Archer doesn't now know of me directly. She most likely came across one of my sisters." She clapped her hands suddenly. "Oh, you two will love this! I'm also a double summon!"

Shirou was startled when Rin immediately slammed her hands onto the table. "What?" she asked, her voice flat. "A double summon? And let me guess, that other class is Assassin, isn't it?"

"Mhm." Saber nodded, a pleased smirk on her face seeing Rin's obvious rising stress.

Said Master was now covering her face with both her hands, groaning. "How is the world so unfair to me?" she mumbled. Her fingers split open, allowing her eyes to gaze at Saber. "And when yesterday you said, how walking around isn't an issue…"

"Mhm." Saber nodded again, sending the twin tailed Master's face onto the table.

Shirou, seeing what his friend was going to, turned to Archer. "What's a double summon?"

"It's a very, _very_ rare skill Servants can have, allowing them to possess Class Skills from two distinct classes." The ginger explained to him.

"So Saber's not just a Saber?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

Shirou turned to his Servant again, but seeing the current state Rin was in, opted to ask a different question. "About your, names…" he paused, unsure on how to word the question. "Why… are they just titles?" Rin looked up, glancing at the two Servants with shared curiosity.

"Titles are quite important in our world, sometimes even more so than our own names." Archer replied first.

"Yes. Some heroes even only have titles instead of their own personal names. Some titles are even more of a True Name than our actual names." Saber added. "For example; most people would not know the name of Ostarion in our world. But they do know of the _Wraith King_." Both Masters felt a chill down their spines. "Speaking of True Names, I think it's best if you would introduce me as Mortred, Masters."

"I assume that's your name then? Why would we ever need to do something like that?" Rin asked.

"Well, I currently am incapable of shifting into my Spirit Form, so it's better to introduce a name, than introduce me as Saber." Saber scoffed teasingly. "I mean, what would happen if you introduced me to some unseeming Master?"

Both Masters nodded, understanding her reasoning. "Going back to more, delicate matters." Rin, having calmed herself down, gave Saber a serious look. "Saber, about your Noble Phantasm…"

"Which one?" Saber replied with a smirk on her face.

Rin sighed, secretly thankful that Archer was not that much to handle compared to Saber. "Your sword. Please, no roundabout answers, like usual."

Saber raised her hands to placate the female Master. "Alright, alright." Her face then slowly lost its teasing smirk. "That sword I drew to deal with Berserker, is called the _Manifold Paradox_."

"That's an interesting name for a sword." Rin commented, with Shirou nodding along.

Saber chuckled. "Well, you saw the sword last night. Its very existence is a paradox." She turned her attention towards her Master. "You also saw yesterday, just how much exertion your body went through when all I did was use the sword."

Rin's expression turned grim, before turning towards Shirou, who held a more confused look. "She means all she did was use it like any other random sword. She didn't activate the Noble Phantasm."

Saber nodded. "You're a smart girl. Anybody ever tell you that?" Rin blushed, turning away from the Servant while Archer giggled at her Master's reaction. "Yes, pretty much what she said, Shirou. Because if I had activated it, you would not be standing here."

Shirou swallowed the lump that was building up inside his throat, nervously nodding. "Emiya-kun." Rin called, drawing his attention away from his Servant. "Let's agree that you'll never ask Saber to use that Noble Phantasm, okay?"

His brows furrowed, shaking his head. "Only in dire circumstances. Even more so than last night."

Rin let out an exasperated sigh, a palm reaching her face. "Don't tell me you really are suicidal? Seriously…" she shook her head, slowly looking at the three one by one. "Is there anything else we need to talk about?"

"Saber…" Shriou started, all three heads now facing him. "this might seem too personal, but… Are you, still an assassin?"

Saber understood what he was asking, and smiled softly at him. She sighed almost dejectedly, leaning further back into her arms. "I never liked being an assassin." She started, the tone of her voice somber. "We were raised from infancy, to kill. Given a target, and that's it." She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "There was no rhyme or reason to them. Our targets ranged from a respected pharmacist, to a corrupt mayor. And it was a shallow, shallow life."

The other three people in the room were silent, listening intently as the Saber-class Servant recounted her tale. "But then, on one of my jobs, I had to infiltrate a ballroom. And for that, I learned how to dance." She locked eyes with her Master, a soft smile of remembrance on her face. "Initially, it was like any other time I learned a skill to blend in. But that night, when I walked through that ballroom hall, I was entranced." She brought her gaze up to the ceiling, her eyes shining in an almost childish innocence. "This was truly the first time I experienced the world outside of killing. Outside of being an assassin. I just danced. By myself, with other people, with whole groups. I was lost in my own world, that I almost forgot why I was there in the first place."

"You still finished the job?" Shirou asked, earning a nod from his Servant.

"My life went on as if nothing strange happened, but this time I would learn new skills not because my job; my contract, demanded it. But because I wanted to experience the world I was robbed of." Her face grew grim as she glared at a random spot on the table. "One of my last targets apparently saw right through me, and offered me a chance to leave and start a new life. But boy, was I wrong."

She looked at them all, one by one. "The sword you all bear witness yesterday? It was from him."

"You escaped one miserable life, only to fall into another." Archer commented, to which Saber responded with a slow and steady nod.

She took in a lungful of air, and breathed it all out steadily. "It's why, in this third life of mine, I will cherish every single moment of it. Without someone, or something, I owe my life to, I will live as if every day is my last. It's also why I've just spent the last half hour saying everything I can, spilling every bit of information I can. Because only assassins keep secrets; and I'm not an assassin anymore."

Silence blanketed the room as Saber finished her story, but there was a calming air rising between the four of them. Saber looked to the young female Master, seeing the girl look at her with genuine sympathy. She saw Archer looking at her in a new light; the suspicions she held was gone, replaced by one of understanding, from one hero to another. And she saw Shirou stare angrily at her direction, but not at her. At her situation, her life. Saber felt liberated, as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Whether this third life would last was irrelevant; she will live and breathe every moment of it.

 _ **RING**_

The ringing phone blared in the solemn living room, shocking all occupants out of their somber states. Shirou was the first to react, standing up and making his way towards the phone. He picked it up, and answered in an almost hushed tone.

"Hello, Emiya residence."

" _Hey, Fujimura here!_ " Shirou sighed, feeling the tension of the room dial down as he heard his guardian's voice over the phone.

"Fuji-nee? What wrong? I'm a little busy right now." He said, glancing at the three women at the table.

" _So am I!"_ Shirou flinched at her sudden burst of volume. " _I'm giving up my day off for my students. Anyway, make me lunch and bring it to the doo ASAP!_ "

The sound of a click followed by a dial tone indicated the conversation had ended, Shirou sighing as he placed the phone back in its place. He walked back to the table, seeing Rin and Archer standing up. Both Masters looked at each other.

"Well, looks like our little meeting is adjourned." Rin said, nodding to Archer, who astralized in the middle of the room. "I don't think we have anything else we need to say?" both Shirou and Saber shook their heads. "Good. Archer and I will be going out on patrol, we've heard more news of people being found like they're dried up husks."

Shirou nodded. "Stay safe, Tohsaka."

The Tohsaka heiress blushed, turning away from her ally. "Idiot! Of course I'm gonna stay safe!"

Shirou chuckled, seemingly unaware of what he was doing. "Right. Well, see you at school."

"Good bye, Emiya-kun." She said, making her leave.

As the Master/Servant pair left the mansion, Shirou pondered on what his day's activities would be. He turned to Saber, still sitting on the tatami mat. "You know, when I woke up, I was planning on going out to buy you clothes to fit in, but now…"

"Oh, I can do that on my own." Saber said, standing herself up.

"You can?"

"Yeah, the Grail gave us some information for us Servants to adapt to the time period we're summoned in, and our walk last night allowed me to at least get some bear of the land." She tilted her head, a familiar smirk forming on her face. "Beside; buying clothes isn't exactly a difficult thing to do."

Shirou blushed, turning his gaze elsewhere as he scratched his cheek. "Yeah, you're right. Haha." He took out his wallet and pulled something out, handing it to her. "This is my credit card. You can buy whatever you need, though hopefully it's practical. Not that I'm telling you what to buy and all."

Seeing the amused face on Saber, Shirou coughed for himself, just to alleviate the embarrassment that was building up. "We'll meet up back here in half an hour, then I'll be leaving to school to drop off the lunch Fuji-nee wanted. I assume you'll want to come with."

Saber nodded. "After what Rin told me, I got to check the school out myself. At the very least to ascertain that this mystery Master won't do anything untoward to either you or RIn."

"Alright then, see you in half an hour, Saber."

* * *

"Ready to head out?" Shirou asked his servant, the bento wrapped up in his hands.

"Absolutely!" Saber replied enthusiastically. Shirou observed his Servant's choice of clothes, seeing them not too different from the clothes she wore under her cloak and armor (of which he was thankful for). She wore a white tank top and blue jeans, along with a black beanie over her head, her hair flowing down freely. Her other choices were not that different from her current ensemble.

Shirou let out a relieved sigh, before nodding to his Servant. "Let's go."

Around halfway towards the school, with Saber trailing just a bit behind him, he glanced back at her. "Hey Saber."

"Hm?"

"What's the deal with your whole "double summon," anyway?" he asked.

"What, the fact that I'm a Saber and an Assassin?" she asked back at him.

He nodded. "Yeah, Archer said it allowed you to possess skills unique to the classes. What does that mean, exactly?"

"Ah, that's what you're asking." Saber said, finally on the same wavelength as her Master. "Each class has skills unique to them, alongside skills that make up the Servants' past as heroes. As a Saber, I have Magic Resistance and Riding." She leaned closer to whisper, her face nearing Shirou's ear. "Between you and me, my Riding skill is terrible, so let's not make use of that."

"Noted." Shirou responded. "How about your Assassin class?"

"The Assassin class has Presence Concealment. Which means I am capable of, as the name implies, concealing my presence. To hide and obfuscate myself." She held her arms open. "For most Assassin-class Servants, from what I can tell, pretty much just turn invisible. My brand of Presence Concealment is different, in that I mostly blend amongst the crowd, the people. I appear as no different than anyone else."

"Is that why your teal skin won't be a problem?" he asked, grimacing at how racist it sounded.

Saber seemed to not realize the implication. "That's right. For the locals, I appear no different as some random foreigner."

"So we'll be putting that skill to good use then?" he asked.

"Absolutely. Don't worry, I already have an alibi." She told him.

"Wow, I think I'm slowly understanding why Tohsaka's getting irritated." He said understandingly.

Saber chuckled, finding the thought hilarious. "That girl always strives for perfection. Anything less, and she'll beat herself to death with it."

The rest of the trip passed by uneventfully, the two of them eventually reaching the school without anything circumventing their route. They made their way straight to the Archery Dojo, Saber stood outside while Shirou stepped inside. He was greeted by a certain purple haired underclassman, who wore a perplexed look on her face.

"Yo, Sakura. I got Fuji-nee's lunch here." He said, greeting his close friend with a smile. Sakura seemed to be ignoring him, focusing on Saber, who had walked inside the dojo. The boy seemed to notice this, looking back and forth before sighing. "Would you mind calling her for me?"

Sakura spent a few more seconds staring at Saber, before blinking as if she realized where she was. "Ah, sure, Senpai."

The purple haired girl turn and jogged back inside the dojo, replaced by the Club President, walking over, waving at him. "Boy, am I glad to see you. You got her lunch?" she asked, sounding relieved. "Sensei's been a handful. When she's hungry, she gets all high-strung."

Shirou sat himself down, placing the bento on a nearby table. "Why didn't you check first thing in the morning to see if she'd brought lunch?"

Ayako rubbed her cheek sheepishly. "Well, I was kinda worn out myself."

"Is it Shinji? Where is he, anyway?" Shirou asked.

"He was here this morning, but he left not too long ago." Ayako sighed disappointingly. "He's probably meeting up with an underclassman or something. Oh, by the way, Emiya. Who is she?" Ayako asked, pointing at Saber, who was looking around inquisitively.

Saber, upon being mentioned, turned to face them with a bright smile on her face. "Hi! I'm checking the school out. My sister's going to move here, and I'm scouting out potential schools for her."

"Oh, that's cool! Where are you from?" Ayako asked, entranced by the apparent foreigner before her.

"Paris, France." Shirou was quietly observing his friend, who had gasped, intrigued at how quick she bought into the story.

"What's this about France?" a certain brown haired guardian walked in, with Sakura following behind her.

"Sensei, this person's sister might transfer to this school." Ayako exclaimed a bit excitedly.

Saber, turning to face the teacher, held her hand out to shake. "Hi. My name's Mortred."

"Fujim- eh, it's Taiga Fujimura. You have your names the other way around." Fujimura said with a chuckle. "You said your sister might transfer here? And how did you meet Emiya?" the teacher shot her ward an accusatory glance.

"We met at the school gate, and he volunteered to show me around the school campus." Saber said. Shirou nodded, especially since that was what he planned on doing anyway.

"Here's your lunch, Fuji-nee." He said, standing up and handing her the wrapped bento.

She took the bento off his hands, nodding as she processed the information. "I see, I see. Well then, I shan't keep you waiting! Please, make use of my dependable ward and student! Sakura!"

Shirou sighed, while Sakura yelped in surprise. "Yes, Sensei?!"

"Accompany Shirou and Miss Mortred here, I'm sure they can make use of a woman's intuition." Fujimura said with a smirk on her face. Sakura looked between the teacher and her friend, eyes darting forth in a panic. Shirou planted his hand on his face, sighing, while Ayako snickered at the developing scene.

"Ah, yes, Sensei!" she rushed back inside, leaving the four.

"Well, time to eat! Ayako, get back to the range!" Fujimura said, walking back into the dojo.

"Yes, Sensei. See you later, Emiya!" Ayako said, waving at him.

"You too, Mitsuzuri." He waved back, before turning to his Servant.

"Quite the interesting lot of people you have here, Shirou." Saber whispered.

"Yeah, that's a word for it." He said, the both of them now waiting for Sakura. "I wonder how Tohsaka's doing with her patrol."

* * *

"This is not what I was expecting." Rin said, observing the scene before her with a look of utter horror.

"Such needless massacre. Who would do this?" Archer added, kneeling beside her Master, inspecting the blood trail on the floor.

A blood trail that led to the massacre they came upon that afternoon, in the middle of the Shinto district as they investigated an office building that radiated magical energy. Energy that was as foul as the park that used to be the battleground of the previous Holy Grail War. Energy that was seeping out of the destruction. The blood, gore, and viscera that was littered and scattered all around them. The corridor was almost painted red by how bloody its walls and floor were. The lifeless eyes of the intact corpses staring back, peering through one's soul if they were to glance at it.

Rin grimaced, turning away for a moment as she steeled herself, before facing the massacre again. She felt Archer's wind grace her, providing a layer above her, allowing her to not leave any prints behind as she walked deeper inside. She glanced into each door, her eyes sweeping the office room before advancing further in while Archer entered one of the rooms and inspected the mess in closer detail. She crouched down, looking over one of the more intact corpses, observing the cuts and gashes trying to determine how exactly these people died. Rin continued on forward, sidestepping any hunk of flesh that was in her way, both out of respect and out of disgust. A juxtaposition that she could not deny for the life of her.

She came across a room filled with monitors and a reinforced locker, alongside what she could surmise as what was left of two different people inside it. She walked in, her eyes locked on the security system. "Archer." She called out.

A couple of seconds went by before Archer walked in the room. "Yes, Rin?"

Rin turned to her Servant, pink tainting her cheeks. "You… said you knew how to use… computers, right?"

Archer gave her Master a scrutinizing look. "Yes? Thanks to the Grail."

Rin pointed to the computer system. "Can you look over that?"

She raised a brow as she glanced at her Master while steadily walking to the security system. "Rin, are you a technophobe?" Archer asked as she inspected the system, going through the recorded footage.

"Look, I can't help it. To magi, technology is just a barbaric tool." Rin responded, her cheeks ever reddening as she made her way to Archer's side.

"Mhm. Sure." Archer responded, clearly not amused.

"I told you! Conventional magi look down on technology!" Rin retorted.

"Is that so? Hm, but you're not a conventional magus, are you, Rin?" Rin froze, the words of her Servant hitting a little close to home. "Ah, found it."

Sighing to herself as she put her doubts aside, Rin followed Archer's gaze, observing one of the monitors as the security footage began to play out. It was displaying one of the office rooms, with all the well dressed adults going about with their lives. Rin gasped when the door burst open, and a red armored demonic figure charged in, swing its axe at one of its unsuspecting victims, the room erupting into a state of terror and panic. As the red demon cleaved through even more people, another demonic figure walked in. Bearing a shade of blue, it wielded a bow that pierced through just as many people as the red demon with its arrows.

"Archer…" Rin's voice was barely a whisper as she processed the footage. "what are those?"

"Necronomicon Demons." Archer answered, her voice carrying a hint of anger that was carefully kept at bay. "But such demons came into being through an artifact. I don't know of any hero; if they can be called that; to be able to summon demons through their own will."

"Can you, tell me anything about them?" Rin asked, slowly backing away from the computer system.

Archer turned to face the door, making her way out with her Master following her. "It is said that nothing ever escape their eyes, and each blow of their weapons drain their targets of their magical energy. And if one were to vanquish the demons, the will also pay with their life."

Rin covered her face with both her hands as the Master/Servant pair walked towards the exit. She sighed as she brought her hands down. "Is whoever doing this different from the one turning people into husks?"

Archer slowly nodded. "I'd be hazarding a guess, but I would say so. At the very least, whoever did that left their victims alive. This is a massacre." Archer gestured to the mess that they walked away from.

As they left the building, Rin found herself feeling exhausted. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. She let out a tired sigh, bring a hand to her forehead. "I think… I think, we should wrap it up for today, Archer."

Her Servant nodded, picking her Master up in a bridal carry, leaping into the air as the winds brought them back to the Tohsaka mansion. Rin was going to need a night's rest after massacre, and Archer herself would not mind such a reprieve.

* * *

"I'm exhausted." Shirou said, as he put his shoes back on.

"That sure took quite some time, didn't it, Senpai?" Sakura asked, giggling as her eyes trailed to the "foreigner" that was now chatting happily with their teacher.

"Yeah, Miss Mortred was very inquisitive." He said back.

"Emiya! Sakura!" both teenagers turned their heads upon hearing the approaching Ayako, now dressed in her uniform. "You two are still here?"

Sakura looked to the Club President with a guilty look in her eyes. "Mitsuzuru-senpai, I'm sorry I I took so long."

Ayako waved Sakura's apology off. "It's fine, Sakura. Besides, it was Fujimura-sensei that told you to help Emiya out, right?"

"That's right, Sakura. Don't worry about it too much." Shirou said, placating his underclassman's worries. "Well, looks like Fuji-nee and Miss Mortred are getting chummy with each other. Best to leave now. See ya, Mitsuzuri." Both he and Sakura waved at her, making their way to leave.

"Hey, Emiya." Both teens stopped their tracks, turning to face the Club President. "Will you ever come back to the Archery Club?"

Sakura turned her attention to Shirou, a hopeful look in her eyes. "It sounds like Fujimura-sensei is trying to talk you back, but where do _you_ stand?" Ayako continued.

"Well…" he looked between Ayako and Sakura, thinking on his words carefully. "I'm thinking of giving it another shot once I get things sorted out."

"You are?" Ayako asked, while a hopeful glint flashed in Sakura's eyes. "That's a bit surprising."

"Surprising?" Shirou asked.

"You've always been better than all of us, some would say better than most high school students since you joined. But it always seemed like you weren't interested in it. Or had no desire for it." Ayako explained. "I assumed you just got bored, so you quit. Like you have no desires or something."

A look of worry now graced the underclassman's face, her gaze kept on Shirou. "You should loosen up a bit, have fun. Get some hobbies, you know?"

Shirou stared at her, before shifting his gaze away from either girls, scratching the back of his head. "Man, if a fellow student's that worried, it must really be bad."

"I mean, come on, Emiya. You never laughed." Ayako commented.

Shirou's eyes widened, as a peculiar expression took over his face. One that Sakura noticed immediately. Some sort of thousand yard stare as he turned to face Ayako again. "Remember the training camp? We all had fun, yet you barely even chuckled."

"Yeah…" he replied, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Sakura clutched her chest, worry and anxiety building up inside her as she saw her Senpai relive a trauma that Ayako had unintentionally triggered. She looked away, already tuning out the conversation that continued, and walked out ahead of him, towards the guardian that was still chatting amicably with the foreigner.

* * *

"Oh, trust me! His cooking is to die for!" Fujimura exclaimed, boasting her ward's skills in the kitchen.

"I'll be the final judge of that. We'll see how his cooking holds up to a Frenchwoman's taste!" Saber responded, able to keep up with Fujimura's energetic disposition.

"You heard that Shirou? Show her what you've got!" Fujimura called out to the teen who was a few steps ahead of them, with Sakura by his side.

"Yes, yes, Fuji-nee." Shirou replied, less than enthusiastically. He couldn't believe how easy Saber made it. But not they had to cook for four, and he felt a nagging feeling at the back of his head telling him to cook a bit more extravagant than usual.

The energetic guardian moved up to her ward, dragging her scooter along with her. "Hey hey, can you make a little something special for me? Hm? Hm?"

"No, no special treatment." Shirou replied, earning an exaggerated cry from the older woman.

Sakura, giggling at the scene, glanced back at Saber, seeing the woman walking with her hands behind her head, eyes scanning the cityscape. Sakura continued staring at her, an instinct flaring in her mind, but she did not know what yet. So when Saber locked eyes with the underclassman, she smirked. And in that moment, it dawned on her. Sakura felt a chill down her spine as Saber raised a finger to her lip in a silencing gesture. Sakura turned herself forward, moving closer to Shirou as Fujimura slowed down to match her pace with Saber.

"Sakura? Is something wrong?" Shirou asked, noticing the sudden discomfort his friend was feeling.

She shook her head. "Nothing, Senpai. Everything's fine."

He still looked concerned, but did not pursue the conversation, as they continued on to his home.

Upon reaching the Japanese mansion, Fujimura stopped by her own home, under the excuse of bringing out something to drink for both her and Saber. Shirou himself had bee lined towards his bathroom, leaving Sakura to start with dinner. Leaving her alone with Saber.

Sakura kept her mind on preparing the meal, trying to not think of the suspected Servant that was in the living room. For the most part the only sounds that filled the room were the cooking utensils meeting each other, and the boiling and frying of cooking food.

"Oh, you're quite good at this, Miss Matou." Sakura flinched and scooted away from the Servant that appeared right next to her, one that was tilting her head at her.

"Ah, ye-yes, thank you. Senpai was the one who taught me." She said, flustering through her answer, a nervous trickle of sweat falling down her face.

"Oh, is that so? Then I must raised my expectations for his cooking." Saber said, still playing through the deception. "Do you need any help?"

"N-no! It's fine! I can handle things until Senpai comes back." Sakura waved her hands, trying to dissuade the Servant from doing anything.

"Oh, what's that?" Saber's hand shot out and grabbing her own, her left hand that bore her own Command Spells. "Is this a tattoo? Isn't this against school regulations? Oh, are they lax about certain regulations? My sister would love that."

Seeing Saber still acting this lie, still keeping up the pretend scenario, was frightening her. "Wh-why are you doing this?" she asked, fear laced in her voice.

"Hm? Do what?" Saber asked, feigning innocence as she still held Sakura's hand.

"This. This charade. Are you mocking me? Why don't you just get it over with and kill me already." Sakura said, venom dripping her words as she glared at the Servant, her hand now shaking.

Saber's playful attitude disappeared, replaced with one of shock and confusion. "What? Why would I do that? Are you _not_ my Master's friend?" Saber let Sakura's hand go, dropping the façade as she took a step closer.

"What?" Sakura was taken aback by the sudden change of the Servant's attitude.

Saber sighed, scratching the back of her with a guilty look on her face. "Look, I was just teasing you, okay? I'm sorry. I went around the school because our ally said that there was another Master in the school. Fortunately, it's Shirou's friend, so I guess it was fine."

"Wait, ally?" Sakura asked, latching onto the one particular word.

"Yeah. And I'm not at liberty to divulge such information." Saber said, closing the gap between the two, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura yelped. "Look. Shirou's ally said that you might consider the school a sanctuary as well. Seeing that you are a close friend of Shirou, I personally feel that you won't actually be a threat. To us, at least."

"I-I'm sorry." Sakura said, slipping back into her meek nature.

"No no, I'm the one that should be sorry. I made you feel threatened in a safe haven and took my teasing too far." Saber said with genuine remorse.

"Sakura? Miss Mortred?" the sole occupant of the mansion walked in, hair still damp with a fresh clean clothes. "Is something wrong?"

The façade returned to Saber's face, turning to face the male Master. "Nothing, Mister Emiya. I was just seeing how Miss Matou here is cooking and got a little too close to her nose."

His face grimaced. "Oh. Well, I don't mean to be rude, but if you don't mind, I hope you can leave the kitchen to us."

Saber raised her hands, making her way out. "Yes, yes, I apologize." She said, sitting herself back down.

Shirou walked towards the kitchen, standing beside his underclassman, who still seemed out of it. "Sakura?" he waved his hand and clicked his fingers in front of her face.

She blinked and jumped as if finally noticing the boy in front of her. "Yes, Senpai, I'm fine!" she said, going back to cooking.

He scrutinized her, before glancing at Saber, seeing the Servant gesture an apology before he began to help his underclassman. There was something going on, and it involved Sakura.

And he did not like it one bit.

* * *

"So, how was your patrol, yesterday?" Shirou asked, unwrapping his bento as he sat on the near empty rooftop of the school.

"Horrible." Rin replied, taking a bite of her sandwich that she had bought from the cafeteria. "We were expecting one thing, and found a different, _horrifying_ one." Shirou could hear the horror in her voice.

He swallowed the food in his mouth. "So what was it?"

Rin pinched the bridge of her nose, before deigning to explain the situation that she and Archer had come across the day before. The horror and the massacre, as well as Archer's educated guess on what those demonic things were. By the end of her exposition, the Emiya boy had a look of contained rage that even frightened the Tohsaka heiress.

"What's the official story?" he asked, trying to cool himself off.

"That a bunch of crazy cosplayers were on the loose." Rin said back to him.

"We can't let the Grail fall into the hands of people like that." Shirou said.

"Of that, we have an accord, Emiya-kun." Rin responded, taking another bite of her sandwich. "How about you? Did Saber get anything yesterday?"

He shook his head. "She said there was no presence of Servants, aside from herself, at the school yesterday. She seemed to like the school."

"Yeah, I could tell." Rin replied less than enthusiastically, surprised and almost falling off her feet when she saw the Servant walking down the school corridors, dressed in a pedestrian "disguise" with the other students and teachers seemingly unperturbed by the woman with teal skin. "What's her role?"

"Some foreigner scouting the school for her sister." Shirou told her. "Fujimura-sensei seemed to like her."

"Why am I not surprised?" Rin said, taking a drink from her bottle. A green shimmer of particles appeared before them as Archer materialized. "Archer?"

"Rin, that presence is back." Archer reported.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked.

" _Saber, do you feel the presence of an unknown Servant?_ " Shirou asked telepathically.

" _I was just on my way to you. Yes. They don't seem to be moving though._ " Saber replied.

" _Thanks._ " He turned to face his allies as they finished speaking t each other. "Saber said she detected the presence as well."

Rin furrowed her brows, standing herself up off the floor. "It seems like we have to confront this mystery Master."

"And hopefully come to an understanding." Shirou said, matching her movements. She looked at him incredulously. "They're presumably a student here as well, so maybe they're also not looking for a fight? Besides, you said that yesterday's massacre has nothing to do with this Servant."

"Not the worst of ideas." Archer commented, her hands on her hips. "Besides. Two on one. I'm sure when they find out, they won't be too aggressive in facing us."

"I guess when you put it that way…" Rin held her hand to her chin in thought. "Alright, when school's over, either Archer or Saber will "invite" them for a chat, and hopefully they'll drop by."

Both Shirou and Archer nodded, just as the school bell run, signaling the end of the break period. The Servant went back into astral form while the two allied Masters went back inside the school, going back to their respective classes before they would be back up again, with Shirou telepathically relaying the plan to Saber.

Fortunately for them, because of the recent news both from within Miyama and over at Shinto, after school activities were temporarily put on hold, thus making sure the school would be emptied out earlier than usual. Both Rin and Shirou were standing in the middle of the school grounds, the field where Archer and Lancer had fought last. Archer was dematerialized while Saber was standing nonchalantly behind them. They all waited, until the twilight started to give way to the moonlight that waited in the horizon.

Their patience paid off, as eventually someone made their way towards the field. One that got the Tohsaka heiress to be taken aback by the presence. "Sakura? What are you still doing here?" she asked, though inwardly she was in denial.

Shirou had been similarly taken aback, until a memory flash before him. Of the few days before in his kitchen, when he noticed the marks. How he had concluded that they were a tattoo, and how Sakura played along with the excuse. He face palmed at the revelation. "I'm a moron."

Rin looked to her ally, an expression that mirrored that of betrayal and understanding, before looking back at the underclassman that was now standing a few feet away from them. Sakura held an apologetic smile on her face, covering her left hand with her right on her chest. "I'm… sorry, Senpais." She said, slowly revealing the Command Spells to them.

And as she did so, a maroon shade started shimmering behind her. A shade that molded into a form that stood a head taller than the allied Servants. A shade that revealed heated steel armor, armor that was bathed in a layer of light eldritch fire. Steel armor that encompassed this Servant's upper and lower body, with gaps between the armor revealing not flesh, but what looked like molten energy that took the form of flesh. The helmet fully enclosed the Servant's head, huge flat metal horns protruding from the sides. And where the eyes would be was a trailing eldritch fire that also seeped out of the Servant's flesh, radiating a true aura of malice.

While Berserker imposed fear through the sheer strength it conveyed, the black knight of maroon red imposed fear through its singular presence alone. One that made Archer materialized right next to the allied Masters as they took a step back while Saber; was being Saber, casually observing the scene without a care in the world, as if unthreatened unlike the fight with Berserker.

Silence bathed the air, as neither group took the first action to start the confrontation. At least, until the new Servant raised his hand, pointing at Saber.

" **Saber.** " He called out, his deep voice reverberated into their very souls.

Saber, for her part, seemed unfazed, tilting her head. "And who am I speaking to?"

" **Rider.** " The Servant introduced himself. " **And my Master has a vested interest in yours.** "

"I know, and of the good kind from our little chat last night." Shirou looked to his Servant with a scrutinizing gaze, one that Rin was giving to him while Sakura's cheeks tinted a shade of pink unnoticeably.

" **So I have been told.** " A cudgel materialized in his hand, still pointed at Saber, who was now taking a stance though she had not materialized her own scythe. " **Your Master's survival is something mine wishes to confirm.** "

"Oh, is that it? Don't worry, he's not gonna die on my watch." She said, though her stance did not relax.

" **We'll see.** " The sounds of a herd of neighing horses filled the air, before both Saber and Rider disappeared. And then, off to the side of them, the neighing reached its crescendo as both Servants reappeared, Rider's cudgel meeting Saber's scythe. The shockwave erupting from them as their weapons met, Saber almost crouched with her armor and cloak materialized as she stood there beneath Rider.

"Rider!" Sakura called out, protesting her Servant's actions.

Saber blinked away, landing just at the edge of the field. Rider straightened himself, a shield of peculiar make appearing on his left hand. One that looked like jagged pieces of metal encircling a maroon black hole. " **Come, Saber! Test your mettle! We'll see if you truly can keep your Master alive!** " Rider's booming voice bellowed across the field.

"And what if I can't?" Saber retorted, now gripping her scythe at the ready.

" **Then I will take up on the task myself!** " Rider declared, charging towards the Servant of the Sword.

"Rider, please stop!" Sakura called out, worried of the altercation that had developed.

" **Don't worry, Master!** " he said through intermittent swings that were either dodged or deflected by Saber. " **Consider this a healthy spar!** "

"How can I?!" Sakura asked, clearly distressed.

Both Shirou and Rin made their way towards the underclassman, at the very least somewhat content that the "Mystery Master" meant no harm.

"Relax, Master of Rider." Archer said now with a relaxed air, causing all three highschool students to look at her. She grinned their way, one that Rin had become accustomed to. "I'm sure nothing bad will come out of this little spar."

All three Masters could only hope for such a thing, as both dueling Servants were a few steps away from going all out. And none of them wanted the spar to come to that.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

woo, almost entirely new scenes! but i'm happy with them. hopefully you guys will enjoy it too!

straight to the servants!

Saber, revealing a lot about herself and others! the way i'm writing PA here is someone who wanted a second(third) chance in life, hence why she's pretty much doing things that are the opposite of what she was; which was being an assassin. if you guys have ever read my other fic (Nightsilver Tales, a Dota 2 fanfic), you would get the same idea from how i wrote PA there. and also we get a glimpse of what makes her special as a Saber. the Saber class, known as the strongest class with their one weakness being their lack of versatility. with PA being a double-summon, she essentially makes up for that one weakness.

and Rider! we get a glimpse of who/what he is, and we'll be seeing more of him next chapter, don't worry!

and of course, the Necronomicon. how, you guys might be wondering. you will have to wait longer, but you will get your answers.

now, hope you guys enjoyed it all, and hope this chapter tickled your fancies! R&R if you can, it'll be awesome!

see you all next time!


	5. The Master of Rider

_**The Master of Rider**_

 _T - 3 Days before the Final Summon_

An exhausted girl lay sprawled in the middle of a summoning circle, etched on the cold floor of the dark and dreary basement, drained of her reserves as she was used to anchor a summoning ritual. The basement itself was briefly lit in a bright maroon light that shadowed the only people inside. The other being her brother, the one that had used her for the ritual. The one who was so eager to participate in the even greater ritual, as he held his book tightly in his hand, staring at the light before the both of them.

When the shade of red receded, in its place was what looked like a knight. A black knight emblazoned in red tainted armor, with "flesh" that breathed unnatural life, the orange and red skin barely containing the power that the knight wielded. He stood taller than any foreigner, almost dwarfing the two teens as he stared at the sprawled form of the girl.

" **Servant Rider, answering your summons.** " He said, keeping his gaze on the girl.

The boy, still caught up in the act of the summons, did not realize at first that the Servant was not talking to him. He scowled when he did, rushing to shove the girl aside. "Hey! Your Master is me!" he proclaimed.

When he felt an aura of malice coming from the Servant, for the first time in his life, Shinji regretted what he did. The Servant slowly shifted his gaze onto him, peering into Shinji's very soul. " **Oh? You think you're my Master?** " the Servant said, his voice a mixture of amusement and displeasure.

Shinji swallowed the lump in his throat, his body shaking as he held out the book in his hand. "Ye-yes! Do you n-not feel the power from this book?!" He retorted, but his voice cracking and his words stuttering failed to make him stand his ground.

The aura of malice felt heavier on his body as the Servant finally gave his full attention to him. The Servant's hand plucked the book from Shinji's hand, losing the grip as the Servant that was summoned terrified him to his very core. If he was of a sound mind, he would have salvaged the situation. Unfortunately, he was not, as the book was taken from his grasp. " **You think you are worthy of being my Master?** " The Servant asked, holding the book in front of Shinji's face.

Shinji tried to respond, but the words failed him as he sputtered unintelligible nonsense. " **Exactly.** " The book was bathed in an orange light to Shinji's horror, before erupting in eldritch flames. The Servant's single hand covered Shinji's face, the ashes of the book being smothered on his face. " **You are** _ **nothing**_ **. You are but a** _ **speck**_ **in the grand universe. Don't ever** _ **think**_ **that you can ever control me, for you are not** _ **worthy**_ **.** "

The Servant's hand was pulled back, leaving Shinji to fall to the ground, slowly backing away from the Servant. Rider himself still kept his gaze on the boy, scrutinizing his every form, before shifting to the purple haired girl, who was looking up at him with widened bewilderment. He then shifted his gaze to a dark, shadowy corner, observing the figure that had kept to itself as it observed the summoning ritual. Rider then shifted his gaze back to the shrinking Shinji, immediately making his way towards the boy, his heavy footsteps echoing within the basement. He held his foot over Shinji's leg, not enough to even harm him, but enough to make it impossible for the boy to run.

" **From here on out, from this day forward. If you ever touch her, lay your hands on her, even so much as breathe on her. Then mark my words; I will make sure that you will live a life worse than death. And believe me, I will disregard her wishes to do so.** " The Servant warned the now petrified Shinji, the boy's pants now stained with a visible wet patch.

Rider lifted his foot, allowing the boy to pick himself up and run up the stairs, getting away from the Servant as possible. Rider then glanced at the dark corner, taking note of the figure that was no longer there, before walking back towards the girl that was still in the middle of the summoning circle. Sakura herself tried to back away, but found herself incapable of moving. Whether it was because she was too tired, or because of the Servant's heavy presence, she did not know. The Servant was then looming over her, his gaze still looking down on her. Then he held out his hand.

After a full silent minute, Sakura hesitantly took the hand with her own. Her hand that held her Command Spells. Rider's hand completely enclosed on Sakura's, and then as if she weighed like nothing, he lifted her off the floor and carried her. But not in a way that she expected. She expected him to carry her on his back, with the least likely possibility of her being carried in a bridal carry. Instead, what happened was; Rider flung her over his shoulder, carrying her like a sack of potatoes. He then proceeded to make his way out of the basement.

Rider left the basement, walking onward as if he already knew the layout of the western styled mansion. He maneuvered the carpeted hallways and the elegant furniture filled rooms. He reached the stairs without a problem.

"I did not expect such a powerful Servant to be summoned." Sakura felt a chill run down her spine as Rider stopped at the base of the stairs when the figure made itself known, standing at the top of it. "And to think, not even a minute in, and he's already making a fool of the boy."

Rider did not immediately respond, staring at the hunched, wrinkly figure that spoke to him. And when he did, it was not words that left his mouth. But a low, heavy chuckle. Then followed a heartier laugh that resounded in the room. Before culminating in a bellow of malefic cackling, one that made the figure take a step back as it felt a presence that it never felt before in centuries resonating from the Servant.

" **You mortals are all the same.** " The Servant finally said, now making his way up the stairs, his heavy boots making the wood creak with each step. " **Seeking things you do not deserve. Shedding your humanities in exchange for damnable possibilities.** "

Upon reaching the second floor, Rider glared down on the figure that dared to intimidate him. A figure that he was now towering over. " **I will abide by your rules, for** _ **now**_ **. At the very least, for her wellbeing, for she** _ **is**_ **my Master, after all. But let me ask you this. Do you think you are still in control, worm? Because truly, I find the idea to be quite laughable.** " The Servant then continued on walking, leaving the figure to glare at his back.

Rider entered the room, closing the door behind him before moving the Sakura's bed. Just like how he carried her, her plopped her down like a sack of potatoes. When she stopped bouncing, she looked up at the Servant, seeing him stare down at her. She thought he was staring at her nude form, until she realized he seemed to be staring _through_ her. The Servant knew. The Servant could see. She looked away from him, anywhere but him.

" **Unless you sleep in the nude, you best get dressed.** " She turned back, seeing the Servant dissipate into red dust, shifting into astral form.

Stunned for a moment at the sudden suggestion, Sakura got off her bed to do just that. She dressed herself and then made her way back to bed, shifting under blanket and hugging them tightly. As she lay her head on her pillow, she replayed the past hour back in her mind. How her brother wanted to prove his worth by taking part in the Holy Grail War, so without a doubt he summoned a Servant. One that seemed to deny his very existence and chose her. The Servant didn't even give Shinji a chance to respond. The turn of events seemed to show that for once, Fate was on her side.

In her slumber, she shifted and turned, struggling as a familiar feeling came over her. A dream of something she longed for. Something she truly wished for, but she could not have. The world was against her, denying her this one this she desired. Her eyes shot open, her breathing heavy as the undeniable feeling came through her body. She clutched her chest, feeling her heart beating ever erratically. The desire was profound and she needed release. She brought her hand down, but before she could begin, a red shimmer appeared before her.

The Servant; _Her_ Servant, looking down on her. He kneeled beside her bed, keeping his fiery eyes on her. She stared back, wondering what the Servant was doing amidst her rising lust. He brought his hand to her face, his heavy metal gauntlet holding her down without much effort. She continued staring back at him through his fingers, her breathing amplified in his hand. Then his hand started glowing, so bright that it was almost blinding to her. It grew brighter, and brighter, until it ended in a flash. And just like the flash, her lust was gone.

She blinked. Again, as the carnal desire the built up disappeared as if it never existed in the first place. He lifted his hand off of her, standing up and turning away. "Rider." She called out, her voice barely a whisper. The Servant gave her a glance. "Wh-what… did you do?"

The Servant kept staring at her, letting the silence build up before turning away and shifting into spirit form once more, deigning to not answer her question. Sakura brought her hand to her face, feeling the sweat that covered her entire form. She was tired, but she was awake again now. So she pushed herself up and got herself off her bed, leaving her bedroom to make her way to the bathroom. Her legs shaking as they carried her towards her destination, hoping the cold water could shake away her nerves.

* * *

 _T – 2 Days before the Final Summon_

The moment she stepped out of her house, she felt her Servant leave her side. She did not question him as she made her way towards the Emiya household. A rather new tradition in the grand scheme of things, but one she's come to enjoy and look forward to most of her life. It was not out of the question to say that being around the Emiya was shining sun in her dark existence. And as per tradition, she would find her upperclassman inside his shed, falling asleep after tinkering with the various knickknacks he had. She woke him up and cooked breakfast for the both of them and Fujimura, his guardian and their teacher. The both of them then left for school together.

Sakura wouldn't feel her Servant's presence until in the middle of school hours, feeling him approach her as she was in the girl's restroom. When there was no one else inside but her, he materialized, right as she was washing her hands. She turned to him, seeing him stare at her in silence. She stared back at him, though she did not bear the same aura he had.

She smiled nervously. "Did you explore the city?" she asked, mostly out of politeness.

He started chuckling, sending a chill down her spine as the restroom echoed his bellows. " **Oh,** _ **more**_ **than that.** " He planted his hand on Sakura's shoulder, the girl flinching when she was being held down unintentionally. " **Now, I will watch over you, Master. You seem to place this school as some sort of sanctuary. More so than your abode.** "

She turned to her reflection, not wanting to meet her Servant's gaze. "You can say that." She replied, still keeping her eyes on the mirror. "But I'd still rather be somewhere else."

" **Is that so?** " she nodded, finally turning her gaze towards him. Her purple eyes meeting the eldritch fire where his own should be.

She sighed. "Regardless, I think we need to present ourselves to the Overseer. I've been told participants of the ritual must " _register_ " as the Church." She said to her Servant.

Rider held up his hand that was on her shoulder. " **No need for that, Master. I've already done so, introducing myself as the Matou Servant.** "

She stared at her Servant as a bewildered expression appeared on her face. "I guess you don't really need me for anything."

He chuckled. " **Nonsense. You're my anchor in this** _ **form**_ **right now. Without you, I wouldn't be here.** "

Sakura caught the distinct way he said his words, but chose to not comment on it. She nodded to her Servant as he dissipated in a cloud of red, Sakura herself finally leaving the restroom. The corridor was deserted, not a soul nearby. She looked back at the restroom, wondering if Rider's aura of malice made people steer away from the area. She felt fortunate that his aura did not radiate when he was astralized. It would be too obvious to anyone who knew of the ritual that she would be involved, and that was already taking into account of her being the Matou representative. She sighed, making her way back to class. Truly this development was not she expected.

* * *

Dinner at the Emiya household was one of the things she looked forward to, so she couldn't help but have a content smile on her face as both her and her upperclassman were washing the dishes. Interestingly enough, to her, Rider's presence had left her again around midway through their dinner, but she made no attempt to stop him. She thought she probably could not have stopped him either way.

"Ugh." Both teens glanced at the adult at the table, her face grimacing as she watched the news. "You two better be careful. There's something out there turning people into that." Fujimura pointed, both teens giving the TV a onceover.

People being left close to dry husks. Alive, but barely. "Fuji-nee, maybe you can take Sakura home on your scooter." Shirou said.

The adult nodded. "Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Fujimura-sensei."

The guardian made good on her word, escorting Sakura to the street that lead to her home. And when she arrived, she felt the familiar presence of her Servant looming over her. She continued onward, greeting the thing that she called her "grandfather" and quietly made her way towards her bedroom. When she closed the door, Rider materialized in a shimmer of red.

" **That little house had a quaint atmosphere, Master.** " Rider said observantly. " **And it seemed you quite fancied the sole occupant.** "

She sighed, not bothering to deny it. Nothing seemed to get past her Servant, whatever it may be. "I truly hope he does not get involved in the ritual, Rider."

The Servant chuckled. " **Don't worry. I'm sure nothing bad will happen to him.** "

She gave her Servant a scrutinizing look, once again wondering about the words he said, but she did not pursue. Instead, she asked a question that came to her not a moment ago. "Rider, do you know what's happening to the locals?"

" **Oh, yes I do.** " She could hear the amusement in his voice.

She tried glaring at him, but she found she could barely go against the black knight. "Why are you doing this? Do you need more mana?" she asked worriedly.

Rider shook his head. " **I'm merely evaluating the mortals, seeing how they fare.** "

"Against what?" she asked incredulously. She knew that her Servant was most definitely not good, but she had hoped that he would refrain from such actions.

And despite never having seen her Servant without his helmet, she somehow could feel him smirking at her. " **Against** _ **reality**_ **of course.** " He planted his hand on her shoulder again, but this time she did not flinch. He chuckled, seemingly impressed. " **Don't worry. They're all still alive.** " His chuckled deepened, as if he found humor in the subject.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, but all this did was to amuse him even more. "At least make sure no student of the school becomes a victim."

" **I've already took that into account.** " He lifted his hand off her shoulder, but held a finger in front of her forehead. Sakura expected what he was about to do, but his heavy gauntleted hand almost pushed her off her feet when he poked her. " **You best retire for the night. Lest you wake up in a less than stellar condition.** "

As her Servant shifted back to astral form, Sakura left her room for the bathroom, eager to bathe for the night. The warm clean water washing over her. She left the bath as clean as she could be, ready to do as her Servant said and "retire" for the night. When she opened the door, she found herself face to face with Shinji. She hadn't seen him since the night before, and judging by the look of horror he had as he stared at her, slowly backing away before turning around and leaving her, she probably was not going to see him for some time. Rider's threat was enough to make him leave her alone.

Sakura scoffed, seeing his retreating form down the hallway, before making her way to her bedroom.

* * *

 _Darkness._

 _Emptiness._

 _The Void._

 _That's what where she was. That's what where she stood. In complete nothingness. In fact, she wasn't even standing. She floated, as if she was in the middle of the ocean. In the vast seas. That's what this reminded her of. The deep blue sea. But this was not the sea. This was not the abyss. What was it, she did not know. The only thing that was in her mind was the Void._

 _A flash._

 _Her eyes followed the source, seeing the light. The light that came from the center. Was it the center? It was now, for all she knew. She floated towards it. Floated towards the light. She focused on the light, seeing four different colors coalescing with each other. She saw each color becoming brighter, and brighter, and brighter, and then another flash._

 _She was blinded, her eyes unable to handle the sudden light that came. When she felt the light recede, she opened her eyes, and she was in awe._

 _The Void was no longer a space of emptiness, of nothingness. All around her were tiny lights that brought life to the Void. And each of those lights had the four colors within them. She focused her eyes on one of the tiny lights, seeing it expand, and expand, and expand. Until her vision, her very being, was smothered by it. And it was as if she was now within a new world. A different world. A world with its own stars._

 _She moved back, the light shrinking and shrinking until it was another speck in the Void. Back in the grander existence. She turned back to the light that was the center of it all, seeing the four colors revolving around each other. Then she noticed one of the colors; a more distinct yellow; break off from the four, moving from each tiny light. Then the darker, more orange color followed suit, as if chasing the yellow light, leaving the last two colors; one of dark purple and one of light blue._

 _Curiosity enveloped her. She followed after, chased after the orange color, allowing one of the tiny lights to expand and expand, until it was its own world, its own universe. She focused on the orange color and the yellow color, both brighter than any star she's seen. Both hotter than any sun she's seen. She closed in on the colors, trying to decipher them, but when she was about to touch them, the yellow disappeared. Extinguished, as if erased from existence. All that was left was the orange color, looming over where the yellow used to be._

 _She approached the orange color, curious as to why it chased. Then, as she was about to touch the color, it moved. She pulled her hand back, in case the color would respond with hostility, but the color merely shifted. She felt as if the color was now looking at her. She furrowed her brows, wondering how that was possible. And yet before her, the color shifted once more, taking a more humanoid form. A formless humanoid. A formless orange humanoid._

 _Her eyes widened as the revelation hit her, with this color, this_ _ **being**_ _now staring at her. "_ _ **Interesting.**_ _" The being said._

 _Sakura kept staring at the orange color, her mind now wondering what exactly Rider was, if this was part of the dream cycle Master/Servants go through. At the corner of her peripheral, she noticed the yellow color appearing out of thin air, as if coming to existence again._

 _The orange color turned to face the budding yellow color, before turning back to her. "_ _ **I think it's time for you to wake up.**_ _"_

* * *

Sakura sat on her bed, her clothes drenched in sweat, but unlike the night before, she was not exhausted. She wiped the sweat off her face, combing her matted her back with her fingers. Her mind was processing what she had just seen. What she had just dreamed. She kept her eyes locked on the floor, but she still caught her Servant materializing at the corner of her eye. She did not acknowledge him until after a few minutes later, in which she looked up at him with tired eyes.

"Rider…" she drew out her breath as she addressed him. "what are you?"

Rider held his gaze on her, staring at the drenched girl that was sitting on her bed. " **I'm your Servant, Master.** "

She pouted, not amused with his answer. The fact that he was chuckling did not help. "That's not what I meant." She said.

What he did next was something she did not expect. He sat on her bed. He, with his huge bulk, sat right next to her, on her bed. The weight of his bulk caused her side of her bed to rise, allowing her head to almost reach his. Almost, because this sudden action caused her to fall to his side, leaning on his armor. She pushed herself off of him, seeing him stare elsewhere but her.

" **I, am a Fundamental.** " He said, causing Sakura to furrow her brows. She didn't know what a "Fundamental" was, aside from what she learned in school. _Were they related?_ She thought to herself, thinking back to the dream. Her thoughts were paused when he turned his head to look at her. " **And I, am still alive.** "

* * *

 _T – 1 Day before the Final Summon_

Her morning did not go as smoothly as she wished. With her waking up dreary-eyed, her mind still on what Rider admitted to her, then her upperclassman finding her Command Spells. She was fortunate that his assumptions allowed her to lie easily, though he did not seem to believe her 100%. Hopefully it was enough for.

When she reached the school, she could already feel Rider's presence, no doubt waiting for her after whatever morning incursion he had done. She felt guilty for what he was doing, but she didn't really feel like stopping him. And hey, at least he didn't kill anyone.

When school ended, she made her way to the Emiya household, now with afterschool activities put on hold because of her Servant's activities, one that he decided to act upon despite the authorities being on the move because of him. The moment she stepped inside the house, his presence left her, as per usual at this point. Not that she minded that much. Of all things to mind, this wasn't really high up on her list. Unfortunately for her, her upperclassman had his part-time job that night, so she only made dinner for herself and Fujimura.

Knowing that the one that was committing the acts that got the locals in an uproar was none other than her Servant, she knew she was for the most part safe at night. But she had no good excuse to give to her teacher when she offered her men to escort her. It was a short ride by car, so they dropped her off on the road towards the mansion. She walked home by herself, still not feeling her Servant's presence yet. What was around however was a tall, blond foreigner that was walking down the road.

She continued walking, trying to ignore this foreigner. But she stopped when he stopped in front of her. She looked up, the red-eyed man looking down on her.

"Die while you can, girl." He said to her, her eyes widening at his words. "Tarry, and there may not be another chance." The man then walked past, leaving her to ponder on his words.

A threat? A warning? She did not know which, but the man knew more than she'd like. She shook her head before making her final steps towards her home.

She made her way straight to her room in silence, the usual presence of her Servant following behind her. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, her hand moving to clutch her chest as her Servant materialized behind her. Sakura felt his hand on her shoulder, and then she felt him turn her around so she'd face him. She looked up, seeing him stare down at her. He then patted her shoulder.

" **It seems the Golden King has made his move.** " Her Servant commented, knowing what had transpired despite the fact that he was not with her.

She covered her hand with the other, her eyes trailing down to the floor. " **Fear not, Master. I assure you, nothing ill will fall on either you, or the boy you fancy.** "

She looked back up to him, hopefulness briefly flashing in her eyes before they disappeared, her empty gaze returning to her. "Rider, you seem to know a lot."

" **Of course. There is nothing that does not escape us.** " Her Servant replied, his words sounding firm and absolute.

"Is because of what you are? A Fundamental?" she asked, earning a nod from the black knight.

" **That is why you have nothing to worry. Nothing to fear.** " Her Servant declared.

And for once, she felt assured. Despite the aura of malice of radiated, despite his destructive interests, despite his end goal of demise, she trusted him. Just like how she trusted her upperclassman. Just like Emiya Shirou.

She felt her Servant's thumb scrape across her cheek, wiping something off her face. It was at that moment that she realized she had tears streaming down her face. She wiped off the rest, nodding in appreciation.

"Thank you, Rider." She said to him, as her palm wiped her eyes.

" **You have nothing to thank for, Master. I am your Servant after all.** "

* * *

 _Day of the Final Summon_

" **So it seems he is a potential Master, is it?** " Rider asked within the girls restroom, just him and Sakura.

Sakura nodded. "I saw the marks on his hand, just like the marks I had before we summoned you." She said, worry and anxiety audible in her voice.

She looked up to him, wanting to know what his thoughts are, but he seemed to be staring off into the distance. She waited for him, until the eldritch fire flickered before he looked back down on her. " **Don't worry, Master. I assure you, when you next see him, he will be fine.** "

"But…" she looked away, the anxiety building in her heart. "you said you won't do anything to him, but what about other Servants?"

" **They won't show him the same regard as I do, but I'm positive that he will survive.** "

"Survive?" she asked, turning back to him. "So something will happen to him?"

Rider nodded. " **But he will persevere. He is of strong will-** " Rider's head jerked to the side, enough to cause Sakura to look around the restroom. " **Another Servant approaches the school.** "

A brief look of alarm flashed on Sakura's face, before one of recognition replaced it. "Don't worry, Rider. I know who the Master is." She said.

He stared at her, and Sakura knew he was gazing at something more than just her. He then nodded. " **Yes you do.** "

"Yes I do." She said back, reiterating.

* * *

 _T + 1 Day after the Final Summon_

Rider's presence was nowhere near her for most of her day, already in the middle of his antics. She was going to be at the school, so at least she would have been around she was relatively comfortable around. When she arrived, she saw the telltale signs of destruction, ones that were caused not by magecraft. She had a look of worry on her face, seeing the evidence of conflict that occurred. And the thought that her upperclassman was involved did not sit well with her. She did not want to dwell on it further, so she continued on to the Archery Dojo.

Donned in her hakama, she walked towards the range, the Archery Captain behind her. She remembered her upperclassman when he was still Captain of the Archery Club, remembered his form, his build. She tried to replicate it whenever she had to stand in the range, once another place she could be with him, but she will not give up. She will not disappoint him. She will do him proud.

And then she saw him standing at the entrance. He waved at her, but her eyes were on the foreigner outside. _Who was this person?_ She thought to herself. He wanted her to call Fujimura, so she did so. She came back with the teacher, and both her and the foreigner conversed. Then Fujimura told her to accompany the foreigner and Shirou to tour the school. Alright, she will do so.

* * *

"It seems he summoned his Servant." Sakura said to her Servant, with her sitting on her bed and him standing near the door. "She wasn't easy."

" **Oh?** " there was a hint of amusement in his voice. " **In what way? Did she threaten you?** "

Sakura sighed, remembering the antics her upperclassman's Servant that day. "I thought she did. But apparently, she was just "teasing" me."

" **I guess it's because you're an easy target.** " Rider said, something she could not deny. She had been the target of different kinds of bullying growing up.

"She apologized though, so hopefully she's a good person." Sakura said, then she scrunched her face when she remembered something. "She also said that they're allied with someone."

" **With the other Master at the school. That's a good guess.** " Rider said.

Sakura nodded, knowing who that other Master was. "If he were to ally with someone, I couldn't think of anyone better."

" **Do you wish to join that alliance?** " her Servant asked.

"Pardon?"

" **Do you wish to join?** " Rider reiterated.

Sakura's shoulders slumped. "I don't know." She said back to him. "I don't want to be a part of this damn ritual. And I fear that, if we do join, that would cement the fact that I am part of it." She then looked up to meet his eyes. "Besides, if we join, you wouldn't be able to do that hobby of yours."

He bellowed a heavy laugh, both amused and agreeing. " **That's very much true, Master. But I am also eager to see this Servant of his.** "

"Why?" she asked.

" **Because you want him safe, do you not?** " She nodded. " **Then we shall see if his Servant can do her duty.** "

"And you plan on doing so tomorrow?" she questioned, becoming slightly worried.

" **If they do not seek us out, then I will do so.** " He declared. " **We'll see if she truly is a Servant of the Knight-class.** "

* * *

 _Present Day_

The sound of clashing steel filled the air as scythe met cudgel, their swings faster than the human eye can see. Rider's hits were heavy, but Saber's was precise. She backed away, dodging another swing, before blinking towards him, scythe pulled back for a swing.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

Rider was pushed back as his shield shattered on the impact of Saber's Noble Phantasm, his feet leaving trenches behind. His left arm below his elbow shattered, leaving a stump behind. A bloodless stump, one that was now burning in the fire that permeated around him. Then he started cackling, causing Saber to be on alert even more. All three Masters glanced at each other, more so the allied Masters glancing at the ever worrying Sakura, who clutched her hand that bear the Command Spells over her chest.

" **Good, Saber! Very good!** " Rider announced, raising his destroyed arm in the air, the flame burning even stronger. " **But that will not be enough!** " the fire erupted, the shockwave enough to shatter nearby windows as a new arm was now in place, along with his jagged shield.

Saber, almost too entranced by the development, felt her instincts kick in, blinking to the side as a cudgel swung down from behind her, shattering the ground under its attack. Rider, still standing where he was with his shield smashed on the ground, had another Rider that had she had narrowly dodged. Another Rider that was pulling out the cudgel that briefly lodged itself into the ground.

"An illusion?!" the Tohsaka heiress called out in surprise, turning to her Servant for reassurance.

Archer glared at the illusion as it charged towards Saber, followed by Rider himself, allowing a two prong attack from the Servant. "An extremely powerful one at that, Rin."

"What's an illusion? Is it like Lancer?" Shirou asked, slightly out of the loop.

"Yes. Mirror copies that carried the wielder's strength and capabilities. Lancer's was amongst the weakest illusions from our world." Archer explained.

Shirou turned back to the fight, seeing Saber dodging attacks from one, and deflecting attacks from the other. "And… Rider's?"

"Amongst the deadliest." Archer said.

"Rider, please stop!" Sakura called out, merely earning a bellow of laughter from the Servant.

" **Not until I'm satisfied!** " Rider said, sending Saber back with a bash of his shield.

Saber, not wanting to be outdone, blinked towards Rider.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

His illusion jumped in between him and Saber, taking the blow for him, shattering into motes of red dust. Saber was already on the move, blinking away again as another illusion materialzed to strike her. It charged after her, pulling back another swing, one that she dodged by kicking herself off of the illusion. She blinked again, appearing on the chain link fence that surrounded the field. Her scythe was dematerialized, and in her hands were her throwing knives. Both Rider and his illusion took note of this, taking a step further back.

Rider raised his cudgel, an eldritch energy coalescing at the tip of it. " **I can be just as resourceful, Saber.** "

"We'll see who's more." Saber replied, accepting the challenge.

" _ **Chaos Bolt!**_ "

Rider launched the bolt of energy, the malevolent ball flying towards Saber with unholy speed. But she was faster.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

A dagger flew out, meeting the bolt of energy head on, the explosion caused by the two almost throwing back the three Masters as they watched the field with their own eyes. Then more daggers came raining down, piercing through the explosion directly towards Rider and his illusion, who both held their shields up. Each dagger caused heavy shockwaves as they hit the jagged shields, a few that missed further destroying the field, leaving heavy craters behind.

The illusion's shield did not last, shattering before the illusion was turned to dust as the Noble Phantasm riddled it dagger after dagger. Rider himself was deflecting the daggers with his cudgel along with his shield, each time the contact sending him further back as explosion after explosion erupted on him. The rain of knives stopped when his back was pushed to the school wall, his shield shattered once again with his armor cracked in places around. He looked to see Saber still perched on the fence.

" **You're exhibiting quite the precaution against me, Saber. Where's all that bravado gone?** " he taunted, pointing his cudgel at her.

She stood up on the fence, her balance perfect. "I would be a fool to ever go against the likes of you, _Rider_."

An amused chuckle escaped the Servant of the Mount. " **Ah, I see. So the** _ **Assassin**_ **knows of us, do they?** "

Both Rin and Shirou glanced at each other, not too surprised that Saber knew who Rider was, but Sakura was looking at Saber expectantly and confusedly. Archer meanwhile kept her eye on Rider as Saber replied, despite how battered she looked. "My sisters would rather face death than take on a Fundamental."

" **Hahaha! Then it seems you assassins aren't as foolish as we thought!** " Rider responded, shaking off the debris around him.

"No, we are even more foolish." She said back, jumping off the fence. "If they weren't, then they wouldn't be an assassin."

" **Then you understand your worth.** " Rider dematerialized his cudgel. " **Excellent show, Saber.** " He glanced to his Master, seeing her looking at him with a myriad of emotions. " **It's time I take my leave, Master.** "

Sakura sighed as Rider shifted into Spirit Form, glad that the supposed "spar" was over. She turned to the other Masters, her upperclassman an- upperclassmen. Yes, both of them. Shirou placed his hand on her shoulder, a look of concern on her face. "Sakura…" he started, but he didn't know where to go from there.

Rin walked over to her, a conflicted look on her face, but she was determined. "Sakura, were you forced?"

"By who?" she asked back, secretly happy with the concern she was getting from her.

"Shinji." Rin whispered, her face grimacing in disgust.

Sakura sighed, but smiled at the two Masters. "Was." She said to them. "But Rider, made his stand."

"And he chose you." Saber spoke up, walking towards them with her armor and cloak dematerialized, now back dressed in her pedestrian disguise. "Says a lot about your character, Sakura. Be proud."

"Most definitely." Archer continued, chiming in. "The Fundamentals are not to be trifled with, and the fact that he's willingly your Servant speaks volume of your character, Master of Rider."

She looked up at both Servants in awe, before turning away bashfully. Both Shirou and Rin looked to their respective Servants, an inquisitive expression on their faces. "What's so special about Rider?" Rin asked.

Archer looked up at the now night sky. "I think it's best if we continue this conversation elsewhere." She said offhandedly.

"I agree. This whole confrontation occurred because you two wanted to talk to Sakura, right?" Saber said, her hands akimbo.

"That's right. Sakura," she looked back to Shirou as he called out to her. "I think we can continue this at dinner."

She smiled, nodding to him. "That would be delightful, Senpai."

"Oh boy," the Tohsaka heiress commented, her hand meeting her forehead. "This is gonna be a crowded dinner."

Both Servants laughed, before being joined by the three Masters, as the day draw to a close after the hectic confrontation. Unfortunately, with less than half the group of Master candidates stand in one side, soon the rest of the competition will take notice. And then the true Holy Grail War will finally begin.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

boy, was that chapter a doozy. let me tell you guys, i didn't actually plan on writing this chapter. i decided on it when i finished writing the last chapter, so when i started, i was kinda stumped. the past chapters i had a framework on what to write, so writing what basically amounted to Sakura's PoV proved to be quite difficult. absolutely it was. but i carried on, because writing Rider's part made it less difficult. still was, just not as so. so i apologize if it's not the best.

 **re:** Illufoxatar

yeah dude, i know about the Double Summon rules. i kinda debated with myself on whether i should go with it or not. obviously, i decided to go with it, and face the consequences later.

and on to Rider!

we got a glimpse to what he is, in fact i'd say he's some form of another existing person in the Fate world. also tried to make his backstory a bit more ambiguous, alongside with the other Fundamentals. those whose up on the know on Dota 2 lore should know what's what, and those who also read my other fic would be even more on the know. i'll explain more when we go further into the fic!

hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! R&R if you would like, as long as ya'll enjoyed it!

see you all next time!


	6. The First Confrontation

_**The First Confrontation**_

Archer stood in the living room of the Emiya household, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed over her chest, curiously observing the two girls that were sitting across from each other on the table, both of them averting their gaze from one another. The awkward air hung around them, and Archer could tell there was a history between them, but she did not know of what kind. She glanced to the kitchen, seeing Emiya Shirou busying himself in making them dinner. He had set off immediately, so he had missed the development that was in his home. She glanced to the sliding door leading deeper into the mansion, thinking of the other Servant that was "present," making full use of her inability to astralize and bathing herself from what she told them. She then turned her gaze back to the two girls, seeing them still shifting awkwardly between one another.

She saw Rin turn to Shirou, her eyes focused on his back. "Emiya-kun. Is Fujimura-sensei not going to come over?"

The boy shook his head. "She's busy grading the week's tests. She might be a flighty adult, but she's a diligent teacher."

"You wouldn't expect it if you all you knew her was everything aside from being a teacher." Saber commented as she walked in, drying her long black hair with a towel while dressed in a fresh batch of clothes. She sat herself down on the side between the two girls. "Say what you want about her, but you can't deny her credibility as a teacher."

"Ringing endorsement, Saber?" Archer commented as Shirou made his way to the table, bringing along the first dishes.

"I've come across teachers in my previous life, so yeah." Saber replied, letting the wet towel dangle around her neck. She looked between the two girls, now noticing the air around them. "Is there something wrong with you two?"

Shirou, who had been oblivious the entire time, shifted his attention between Rin and Sakura. "No-nothing's wrong. We're both fine." Rin answered, with Sakura nodding along.

Shirou looked worriedly between them while the two Servants glanced at each other, exchanging a silent conversation. Archer shrugged, moving to sit beside her Master. "Meh, whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine." She said, making herself comfortable.

Shirou, having finished setting the table, sat himself opposite of Saber. "Well, everyone. Dig in."

The awkward air was lifted when dinner commenced, along with the chemistry of the five people weaving together. The comfortable dinner proving the fill the stomachs of the hungry. The two Servants in particular munched down the selection of foods in a ravenously tranquil fashion. Rin in particular could not keep her eyes of the scene, as both Shirou and Sakura had braced themselves ever since they both saw Saber eat dinner as "Miss Mortred" just yesterday.

It wasn't long until dinner ended, their stomachs full and their hunger sated. Shirou was back at the kitchen as he washed the dishes, leaving the four women on the table to start without him.

Rin coughed to start the conversation, though mostly to get past the awkwardness before it built up again. "So, Sakura. You're taking part in the Holy Grail War." She said observantly.

A nervous and guilty smile formed on the younger girl's face. "I didn't really want to."

"And this is because of Shinji?" Rin asked, her hands tightening beneath the table.

"Was. He's not involved anymore. Rider made sure of that." Sakura said back with a more serene expression.

Shirou walked back towards the table, sitting himself down. "What did Rider even do?"

"Rider threatened him." She answered plainly.

Shirou nodded. He knew Shinji was a bully to Sakura, despite how often he tried to stop it. Shinji would always guilt him in saying that he was stepping into personal affairs. So all in all, he didn't feel bad about his so called "friend" being humbled. "That explains why Shinji was acting all weird when I wanted to talk about you."

"Oh?" Rin's brows perked up. "I wish I could've seen it with my own eyes, how he squirmed."

"It was quite a shock, really." Shirou added, leaning on the table with his elbow. "He's usually quite persistent in being dominant, but he was almost meek."

Rin groaned, her shoulders slumped. "That would have been quite the sight to see."

"Are you sure this person is a friend?" Archer asked, her brow raised at the curious way they talked about the brother of the purple haired girl.

Shirou's face grimaced. "Shinji… can be a bit rough."

"He's an asshole, a womanizer, and thinks too highly of himself." Rin said, cutting Shirou off. Sakura gave the Servant a guilty smile, as if she couldn't deny those facts herself.

"I bet he's more than that." Saber commented, taking a helpful swig of the drink she had. "To be mocked and belittled by a Fundamental, _him_ of all people, you must be a special case."

"You keep on calling Rider a " _Fundamental_ ". What does that even mean?" Rin asked, shifting her gaze between the two Servants.

Both Servants gave the youngest Master a quick glance, seeing her shift uncomfortably, before Archer turned back to Rin. "The " _Fundamentals"_ are beings of nature that exist before time. In our world, it is said that the universe itself was created when they were born, and if they cease to exist, then so will the universe."

All three Masters grimaced as Archer began her exposition, the Servant taking it as a sign to continue. "It is also said that they exist across any and all dimensions, and each Fundamental can call upon their counterparts from these other worlds."

"There are four Fundamentals." Saber continued for the both of them, leaning closer onto the table. "The youngest of them is known as the " _Keeper of the Light_ ", bringing life to the stars and extinguishing the darkness. There is one known as the " _Enigma_ ", who for the most part is a mystery. A mystery because this Fundamental makes a concentrated effort to remain as such."

"Though one of the things we do know of this one is that they bring about the end of the Celestials." Archer said, taking the helm once more. "The third one, second oldest, is the " _Guardian Wisp_ ", whose very being makes up every single fiber of existence itself."

Archer then gestured to Saber, urging her fellow Servant to finish. Saber nodded. "The Oldest, and strongest one, is Rider. Known across the cosmos and the " _Chaos Knight_ ", he brings the end, the Armageddon to any world he visits." The allied Masters glanced worriedly at Sakura, who laughed nervously as her Servant was described.

Shirou leaned away from the table with a thoughtful look in his eyes, his mind going through the information that was handed to them. Rin meanwhile had both her hands covering her face, a distraught groan escaping her. Sakura was just turning from one Master to the other, unsure of how to placate their nerves.

"Wait." Rin said, muffled through her hands. "The way you're describing these " _Fundamentals_ " makes it sound like they're some sort of Divine Spirit. No, they're more than that." She brought her hands down to meet the eye of her Servant. "Divine Spirits are supposed to be impossible to be summoned as Servants, because they're too strong. If they were to be summoned, they'd need a mortal vessel to contain them, and they'd be in a weakened state compared to their Divine self."

"You're wondering how Rider was summoned in the first place." Rin gave Shirou a slow nod as he finished her train of thought.

Archer caught Saber's concerned look, before turning to address her Master. "That's the worrying part. We don't know. Sure, the situation of this Holy Grail War is already a peculiar one because of the Servants summoned, but for the most part, we Servants have followed its rules."

"Not to mention, he'd need to die to be able to be summoned in the first place, right?" Saber asked to the group. "Whatever possibility doesn't paint an optimistic light, honestly."

Archer turned to the purple haired Master, who flinched when the Servant's eye landed on her. "He seems to find you of worth. Did he say anything to you in regards to his situation."

Sakura's thoughts went back to the dream she had a few days ago, one that detailed her Servants supposed "life" to her. Then she thought of the talk they had when she woke up, one where he explained to her what he was. She looked up to the Servant of the Bow, mustering her best resolute face.

"He did not." She said, lying to them.

While the allied Masters turned to one another, their minds thinking of the implications of the Servant of the Mount, Saber and Archer still had their attention on the youngest Master. Sakura knew they did not believe her. It was one thing to lie to humans. These Servants had lived a spectacular life. Her simple answer did not convince them in the slightest. But they did not pursue.

Archer sighed, rubbing her makeshift eye patch. "It seems like we have a troublesome Servant, Rin."

Rin's eyes widened in remembrance, snapping her head to the young Master, flinching from the sudden movement, letting out a soft cry. "Sakura. Do you know what's going to the locals?"

Sakura wanted to deflect, but she felt like she couldn't lie on the subject. She nodded. "It's Rider."

Shirou shook his head in bewilderment, also turning to face Sakura, who was now shrinking herself, feeling accusatory eyes now on her. "What? Why?"

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say it amused him." Saber said sarcastically, though Sakura still nodded to affirm the statement.

"He said he was evaluating them. When I asked against what, he said against reality." Archer scoffed.

"Yeah, that sounds like the _Chaos Knight_ alright." She said, rolling her eye.

"Sakura…" Rin leaned on the table, her face leaning on the back of her hand as she gave the younger Master a troubled look. "I feel like I still need to ask this, but can you tell him to stop? These are outsiders getting involved."

Sakura frowned, holding her hand that held her Command Spells with the other, gripping it tightly. "I can't." she said, shaking her head.

Rin let out a defeated sigh, once again covering her face with her hands. "Well, at least he didn't kill anyone?" Shirou said, though the troubled expression on his face spoke volumes of his thoughts on Rider.

Saber smiled at her Master. "Silver linings, huh?" she asked, mostly to calm the building nerves.

He tried to smile, but he instead failed miserably, sending Saber into a light cackling fit. The light fit descended into heavier laughter when all three Masters' eyes trailed onto her, various expressions displayed on their faces, ranging from displeasure to befuddlement. Archer shook her head as Saber's now default demeanor resurfaced, but she smiled as the tension slowly bled out.

"Well, I think it's time for you to ask the other question you had in mind, Rin." Archer said, tapping her Master's shoulder.

The brown haired Master sighed, rubbing her temples. "Right. Sakura." The younger girl looked upon being called, their eyes locking with each other. "Despite how I've prepared for the Grail War, because of Archer, I'm at least motivated to ask this. Do you want to join our alliance?"

Sakura smiled one of her few genuine smiles, but she shook her head. "No, Senpai."

The allied Masters looked confused by the answer. "What do you mean, Sakura?" this time it was Shirou who asked.

Sakura's gaze slowly moved to the table, her eyes staring at the tabletop. "I don't want to be part of this ritual. I want to distance myself away from it, and I feel that, if I join, then there's no going back."

"Understandable." Saber said with a single nod. She leaned closer to the Sakura. "If it weren't for the fact that he has some kind of hero complex, Shirou wouldn't have taken part as well."

"Oh my God." Rin threw her hands up exasperatedly. "You don't know half of it! He almost killed himself!"

"I think you're blowing it a bit out of proportion, Tohsaka." Shirou said, giving Rin the stink eye. He then turned to his underclassman, giving her a sympathetic look. "Well, I hope we won't be picking fights with each other soon."

"Unlike before?" Sakura countered, followed by a quiet giggle.

Saber groaned at the incident. "I'm not looking forward to facing Rider again."

"So some sort of non-aggression pact between us, right Rin?" Archer suggested with a half smile.

"Well, if that's the best that can come from this, I'm not going to reject it." Said the Tohsaka heiress.

"Yes. I'll do my part in making sure Rider doesn't get in your way, Senpais." Sakura said for her part.

"Speaking of "our way," what are our plans, Tohsaka?" Shirou asked, giving his ally an attentive glance.

"It involves the ones responsible for the massacres at Shinto." Rin told them. "It's an educated guess, but I think Caster's responsible for them. We have Saber and Archer here with us; Rider's involved with the incidents in Miyama; this also doesn't feel like the way either Lancer or Berserker operates; and I feel like, whoever Assassin is, this is way too overt."

"Caster, huh?" Shirou brought his hand to his chin, thinking through the thoughts of Rin. "And what were you going to do?"

"We were planning on heading towards Ryuudou Temple. Archer's been tracking those demons, and they seem to be coming from there." Rin said, her Servant nodding next to her.

Shirou's expression shifted to that one of concern. "Wait, Issei's place?"

Rin nodded. "Worst case scenario is, someone we know is involved in the attacks over at Shinto. Best case, someone has taken refuge and are exploiting the priests."

"Neither are really good cases, but still possibilities." Archer added.

"Have you scouted the place out?" Saber asked the other Servant.

Archer shook her head. "There's a bounded field around the temple that keeps spirits of any kind at bay, so it was quite difficult for me to get a lay of the land."

"But you're an Archer." Saber said incredulously. "Also, don't you have that wind stuff?"

Archer glared at her fellow Servant before continuing. "Whoever's there is holed up quite securely. My eye couldn't discern anything odd, and the winds are also kept out. They're quite protective."

"Then how are we supposed to get there if our very being is pushed away?" Saber asked.

"We still can. We just need to go through the front gate." Archer elaborated.

"Wow, how unfortunate of us." Saber said in a monotone voice.

"Well, if whoever's responsible for the deaths in Shinto is in fact in Ryuudou Temple , then we have to come along." Shirou said, standing up from the floor.

"Look, Emiya-kun, we don't know what to expect-" she said, but stopped when the boy held his hand up.

"Exactly. If we don't know what to expect, then we need to be more cautious. We can't just go out alone. We're allies, right? We do this together." Shirou proclaimed.

Both female Masters were astounded upon hearing his declaration. Rin turned away, furrowing her brows as her cheeks started showing a tinge of pink. Sakura noticed this, giving an unintimidating glare to the twin tailed Master, before turning back to Shirou. She then also stood herself up, straightening her uniform.

"Then I think it's time for me to go home." Sakura said.

Rin snapped her head to the purple haired girl. "Archer, please escort Sakura home, then meet us below the temple stairs."

Archer saluted, giving her Master a cheerful smile. "Righty-o, Rin!"

Sakura held both her hands up. "It's fine, Senpai. The one responsible for the problems in Miyama is Rider, after all."

"That doesn't mean other Servants won't get involved, Sakura." Shirou said, agreeing with Rin's suggestion. "We have three Masters at school. It's a prime target for any other Master/Servant team."

"Exactly." Rin continued, eyes closed in affirmation. "It's also in our best interest to keep you safe, otherwise I doubt Rider would be too happy."

Archer wrapped her arm around the younger Master's shoulders, causing the girl to yelp from the sudden contact. "Well, let's get a-movin', Master of Rider!"

"Wa-wait. Wait!" came Sakura's ignored protests as she was pulled along by the ginger Servant, her cries becoming muffled through the walls. The audible gust of wind signaled her departure.

Rin turned to the remaining Master/Servant combo, hands akimbo on her sides. "Well Saber, I hope you don't mind protecting me along with Emiya-kun for the time being."

Saber waved her hand with a smug smile on her face. "Please, this is nothing, Rin."

Shirou rolled his eyes before moving deeper inside his home. He made his way to the backyard, straight to the dojo to retrieve his bokken. Upon reaching the living room again, Rin had put on her red coat, with Saber casually leaning on the wall. The Servant was still dressed in her loose white tank top and blue jeans, though she was forgoing the black beanie. All three nodded to each other as they left the Japanese mansion, heading out for their midnight excursion.

* * *

The walk to the bottom of the stairway up the mountain was quiet, neither Master yet voicing their thoughts on the upcoming confrontation. They knew, despite their wishes, that this might not be pacified without violence. The air around them grew tense as the impending altercation was upon them.

Archer had arrived before them, materializing in a green mist when they reached the stairs. Both Servants could feel their very essence being repelled by the mountain, with the only way for them being said stairs.

"This might be obvious, but I think we're heading to a trap." Shirou said as stared up the flight of stairs.

The three women nodded their heads, despite the condescending tone in his voice. Archer shifted into spirit form as they all started their trek up the flight of stairs. The higher they went, the thicker the air of doom presented itself onto them, starting to weigh down on them. Shirou's hand went to the bokken that was holstered on his back, gripping the handle ever tighter. Rin had her hands inside her pockets, holding on to the gems just in case the situation got worse for them. Saber looked no different from her usual demeanor, but in her hands were her throwing knives. Archer was on full alert while being astralized, her eye scanning the stairs and the trees that surrounded them.

The temple gates were empty, bearing only them the moment they took their last steps on the stairs, entering through the courtyard. The empty courtyard. Empty, except for the large blue scroll with golden borders, placed neatly in the middle of the courtyard. Whatever it was, it was obvious.

Saber drew one of her knives and threw it at the scroll, leaving a small crater where it landed. Unfortunately she missed, as the scroll seemed to be flying low to the ground, as if being kept up by the current. She threw another one, missing again as the scroll deftly moved out of the way, as if control like puppet's string.

"Saber." Shirou held his hand out, placating the Servant. Both Masters could see the troubled expression she had on her face, as if she was agitated.

Rin gave the Servant's back a scrutinizing glare, already coming up to her own conclusion. "You know who Caster is, I take it?"

The Servant nodded, a wave of magical energy blasting off of her as her armor and cloak materialized. She glanced to the Masters, giving them a determined looked, before shifting her gaze back to the scroll. She breathed in a lungful of air, letting the air out steadily.

"ORACLE!" both Masters turned away when the Servant shouted. Shirou pulled out the bokken from its cloth sheathe, falling to a stance beside Rin.

The scroll tumbled onto the ground, rumbling and vibrating the moment right after Saber called Caster out through the supposedly true identity that she knew. The scroll began fluttering, rustling in the wind, before it unrolled, the center still scrolled up at the bottom. Large unknown scripts were visible on the blue parchment, scripts that slowly trailed down the parchment like water. The unwrapped scroll then spun a full rotation, and before it floating near the tip of the unrolled scroll was an ornate blue orb with spiral-like trails around it, constantly dripping water. It projected miniscule lights around it, as if like stars in the dark night skies. The orb then vibrated, almost violently before them, eventually releasing a wave of damp air. And the orb and scroll was no longer the only things that floated in the middle of the courtyard.

The orb now floated around the hands of a tall, lanky blue skinned man, wearing an aqua quilt that seemed to drag just below their feet. Their feet that seemed nonexistent because of the fact that the man was also floating. Around his arms and shoulders were bejeweled guards of the same color as the scroll, with the scroll itself now attached to the shoulder piece. Floating behind the man's head was a large upside down crescent shape object, one that had a full circular object that bore an almost minimalistic pattern of a solar system. The man's head and neck was covered in a skintight wrap, with the head gear also sporting a right side up crescent piece, with blue scripts on top of gold. In the middle of the crescent was a bright red-violet jewel.

The man's face was inhuman. Bearing sharp angular features on top of his blue skin, his flat nose beneath the head guard, and his bright neon green eyes that stand out even more with the red tint on his upper face.

He smiled at them. "What a pleasant surprise! I didn't expect you to be summoned as well, Mortred. Least of all as a Saber."

Beneath her cloak that covered her head, she was scowling, gritting her teeth at the Caster-class Servant that showed himself. Shirou moved to stand beside his Servant, supporting her regardless of how effective it was.

Rin ignored the connection between the Servants, moving herself forward. "So, who's responsible? Is it you? Or your Master?" she asked, going straight to the point.

Caster shifted his attention to the female Master, a smile still plastered on his face. "My Master is, indisposed, girl." He said with a low chuckle.

Rin too gritted her teeth, the very being of the Servant grinding her skin. "You would involve outsiders to the Ritual?! Why would you do that?!"

The man gave Rin a scrutinizing look, the blue orb orbiting around his hand. His smile widened. "Why not?"

"Why not?!" Rin responded incredulously.

"It was entertaining, was it not? Staying in the dark was too boring, in my completely, genuinely honest opinion." Caster elaborated, slowly floating away from them.

Saber let out a breath that she had been holding ever since she shouted Caster's name. She glared at him. "I'm glad that you were summoned as well, Caster. Maybe this time I can finally kill you." She said, materializing her scythe.

Casters green eyes focused on the weapon. "Aw, did you not get summoned with my gift?"

"Come closer and find out." Saber retorted, her voice low as she fell into a readied stance.

Caster held his arms open invitingly. "By all means, _Saber_. Show me, show _them_ , what you've got."

Saber had readied herself to blink forward towards Caster, but her instincts held her back, as a large shuriken came flying between her and Caster.

Off to the side, another Servant had materialized, their hand held out as they had threw the large shuriken. A shorter person, a little bit taller than the Einzbern Master. He had brown padded leather armor around his limbs, with various forms of weaponry strapped to his back. In his left hand was a small pistol, while his right now held a dangerous man catcher. He had a scarf wrapped around his face, shielding his identity, but his distinct ears and feet, similar to that of Lancer's still stood out.

"About time you showed up, Assassin." Caster said, giving the other Servant a momentary glance. "I thought I had to expend a Command Spell to get you moving."

Both Masters widened their eyes at the information, the thought of a Servant summoning another Servant. Rin in particular sported a distinct scowl as she aimed her hand at Caster, cursing how awry the Holy Grail War had gotten. Even Archer herself had materialized at the appearance of another Servant, her green bow aimed at him.

Assassin sighed, aiming his pistol at Caster. "That would've been nice." There was hesitation in his form before he moved his aim at the allied Masters.

Caster gestured towards the Masters with a flick of his head. "Go on then. Do your job as an Assassin-class Servant."

Archer had an arrow knocked and her bow drawn before Assassin could move. "Choose your next step, Assassin. It would be unwise if you picked the wrong one."

"I wished I had the opportunity for wisdom, Archer." He said, his weapons at the ready.

"You know what's so great about being summoned as a Caster-class Servant?" Caster started, both Masters glancing at him perturbed. "It comes with a selection of skills that I never had in life!"

"Such as Territory Creation, which allows me to turn an area into my own personal home away from home!" Shirou uttered a silent chant, his bokken lighting up in a shade of cyan, as both Masters already had a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

"And also, Item Creation!" A large, heavy book materialized in his open hand. Its heavy leather bound strap and cover bearing three large vertical gashes, with hints of teeth at the edges.

" _Gandr!_ "

Rin did not wait, firing a volley of curses at Caster, but the scroll behind him moved to cover him, rendering her curses moot. The book opened, glowing in an infernal light as a summoning circle etched itself on the ground before Caster. Almost instantly, without an incantation, the summoning circle was bathed in infernal fire, with two demonic figures appearing right at the center.

With the sudden demonic roar that resounded throughout the courtyard, both allied Servants rushing forward. Archer stopping before the two demons, kicking the red demon away as she fired a volley of arrows from point blank at the purple demon. Saber continued onward, her scythe ready to strike Caster, but her momentum changed when she saw the book disappear, being replaced by a large red wand. The tip of it bearing fiery energies ready to burst forth.

She plunged her scythe to the ground, sending herself off to the side as a blast of energy erupted from the wand, shattering the ground. She circled around him, dodging the blasts that were thrown at her generously. She found her opening, blinking towards Caster, her scythe primed-

But she was propelled further, leading her to land off her mark. She turned, seeing another staff in Caster's other hand. This one an unseeming long wooden stick with a crescent shape stone wrapped around the tip. She scowled, before moving around once more as the wand was once again fired upon her.

The two Masters, with the Servants preoccupied, turned their attention at the other Servant, one that was slowly making his way towards them. Man catcher pulled back with his pistol pointed at them.

"If it's any consolation; I'm sorry." He said before pulling the trigger.

The sound of splintering wood echoed as Shirou's reinforced bokken caught the bullet before it could hit either of them, the bullet lodged inside the training sword. Assassin was about to voice his approval when he had to dodge away, a rain of curses being fired upon him by Rin, who stood behind Shirou. Assassin drew the large shuriken on his back, throwing it onto the ground amidst his dodging. The shuriken bounced off, heading straight towards the Masters, but was soundly deflected by Shirou's bokken. Unfortunately for them, the shuriken continued flying, bouncing off a tree and heading straight towards Rin. The female Master shot a few curses at it, managing to divert its flight. But it wasn't enough, the now spinning and tumbling shuriken landing flat side up on her face, sending Rin to fall bottom first in a daze.

Assassin, now without curses raining down on him, moved to attack with his man catcher ready. The double ended blade coming into contact with the reinforced wooden stick in Shirou's hand, the Master forcing his all to stand as, despite being the weakest class, Assassins are still Servants, and they are more than a normal human could handle.

Shirou wasn't a normal human.

His nerves flared, as energy poured through them. Pain etched its way across his entire body, but it allowed him to not only hold his ground, but to push Assassin back. His eyes conveyed the feeling of surprise, before being replaced with approval at Shirou's tenacity. He aimed his pistol, ready to fire. His instincts failed him, failing to notice the approaching reinforced fist that came towards his abdomen. He was launched away from the Masters, Rin having gathered herself. She had a determined look on her face, her magic circuits flaring with life as her entire body was prepped for battle.

Assassin got himself up, clearing the dust and debris off of his body. "Impressive, for a bunch of humans."

"You shouldn't underestimate us, Assassin." Rin said aloud, aiming her hand at the Servant.

"Please, the more you fight, the better. I take no pride in this." He replied, readying his weapons once more.

"Well then that makes three of us." Shirou said, standing between Rin and the Servant.

Assassin nodded, charging towards the team of Masters once more.

* * *

The purple demon breathed its last breath as its torso and head was skewered with multiple arrows, its body being kicked away by Archer, leaving behind a crater of pavement and stone. She did not lower her guard, leaping up into the air as an axe was swung where she stood moments before, the red demon coming back for her after she had kicked it away. She floated briefly with the wind, arrow knocked and fired, but she needed to be careful. She knew of the red demon, and how those who fell it will be dealt a pain that would doom their souls.

But she also knew that the demons did not last forever. She needed to keep it at bay, her arrows all making sure to slow it down. Whenever it charged to close, she leapt further and higher, kicking it away if it got too close. She did just that, sending it across the courtyard and firing a volley of arrows to pin it where it landed, hoping to at least slow it down.

She glanced to the Masters, seeing them show their worth, their capabilities in defending themselves, just barely going toe to toe against Assassin. Their synergy was impeccable, their technique filled with room for improvement. She conjured a ball of vines and threw it at Assassin, causing him to be tied to a nearby tree, giving the Masters a bit of an edge. She then turned to her allied Servant, seeing Saber moving through Caster's bolts coming from the artifact in his hand, the recreation working just as well back when she was alive.

She glanced back at the red demon, seeing it slowly freeing itself from the mess she created for it. She nodded to herself, turning back to the Servant on Servant fight. She aimed her bow, drawing back her knocked arrow, green energy flowing through it. The whole world became still as she held her breath, her eye on Caster between the maneuvering and the somersaulting of Saber, making sure she does not; will not miss. She could hear the red demon inching closer to her, but she held on. Then, she fired.

A short distance compared to the artillery support she provided between Saber's fight with Berserker, but the cry of a falcon pierced through the night sky, as it briefly flashed green before the arrow struck true. Caster, preoccupied with his altercation with Saber, only realized the arrow when it was too late. His own glowing green eyes seeing the arrow about to strike him, immediately he commanded the crescent staff in his right hand, propelling him forward. It was not enough, the arrow shattering his right shoulder, his whole arm being blown off. His arm, and the crescent staff, being left behind as he propelled further.

Saber already a new path laid out in her mind, shifting her focus from the Servant to the severed arm. More specifically, the crescent staff that it was holding, the artifact that Caster had recreated. She kicked it up, grabbing it with her free hand, and threw it to the Masters before shifting her attention back at the one armed Caster. Despite the new disadvantage he had, the mirth on his face proved that it did not slow him down.

The wand in his other hand disappeared, replaced by the liquid orb from before. It began orbiting his hand as he pointed it at her direction.

" _Fortune's End!_ "

Saber braced herself as a ball of energy erupted from the orb, encasing her in an arcane trap that held her in place.

" _Fortune's End!"_

Caster shot another ball towards Archer, just as the red demon dematerialized, the Servant of the Bow also incapable of movement. Caster floated higher, seeing all the other Servants not disabled in some way, leaving the two Masters none worse for wear, staring at him. Rin held her hand out while Shirou took the staff, holding it upside down like he would a sword.

"Ah, it's unfortunate that this little battle seemed to not be going my way." Caster said observatly.

"I'm hoping that you're willing to surrender, but I doubt that would be your answer." Rin retorted back, scowling at the Servant.

Caster let out a hearty laugh. "Of course! That would be no fun! You know what would be?" he held his hand up, and in it materialized a shattered hammer with a glowing blue gem where its cracks are, a celestial energy breathing from it.

Both allied Masters and Servants tensed; the Masters knowing that Caster had more up his sleeve, while the Servants knew of the artifact that he had pulled.

Caster turned to his side, his hand now aimed at the temple. The shattered hammer began vibrating. "How about we call it a night for now? You go your ways, we go ours."

"Leave the priests alone!" Shirou shouted, his grip on the staff tightening.

"I _do_ leave them alone! Just because I linger around this temple doesn't mean I socialize with them. In fact, to them I am simply a ghost." Caster said back.

Shirou was about to respond back, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Rin, calming her friend down, addressed the Servant. "Then I expect our next battlefield to not be the temple then."

"Is that your condition?" Caster asked.

"I know very well that I can't stop you from sending your demons out, so yes." She said back, her scowl deepening.

Caster smiled. "Assassin! Once you're freed yourself, make sure our guests are not harmed on their way down."

Assassin, still wrapped with the vines, retorted back. "I wouldn't have harmed them unless you forced me to."

"Glad we are in accord!" Caster said with a smile, dematerializing the hammer and let the effects of his spell wear off, freeing the allied Servants.

Archer made her way towards Saber, making sure she was alright and keeping her from attacking the Servant of the Spell. Reluctantly, Saber turned on her heel and made her way towards the Masters with Archer, her displeasure visible in her eyes.

"I bid you all a farewell and goodnight!" Caster said before disappearing into thin air, leaving behind the blue and golden scroll as before.

The allied Masters, seeing the altercation not going further than this, turned and made their way out the gates, walking down the stairs and leaving Assassin still tied to a nearby tree. His cries for help were ignored as they continued down in silence between the group. The night did not end the worst possible way, but it still left a bitter taste in all their mouths.

Truly, it was only now did the Holy Grail War actually felt like it started for them.

* * *

"Rider?" Sakura called out from her bed, seeing the Servant standing in the middle of her room, his gaze kept on her window. She could feel something troubling him, but she didn't know what. "Is something wrong?" she asked out of concern.

The Servant did not reply immediately, keeping his eyes on the horizon. It felt like a couple of minutes to Sakura before Rider shifted his gaze onto her, his stare boring through her being. " **Yes.** " He replied, his deep voice bellowed in the quiet room.

Sakura grimaced, unsure of how to proceed, but she proceeded anyway. "Do you want to tell me?"

Rider kept his gaze on her, again choosing not to answer instantly. This time, Sakura could feel him contemplating about something, possibly on whether to explain his troubles to her. The troubles of a Servant that was not supposed to be here. The answer came in the form of Rider moving to sit on the bed, once again sending her side of the bed high up. She held herself onto Rider's shoulder like last time, now awaiting him.

He kept his silence, his gaze locked onto the wall in her room, before slowly moving to her. He was judging her, evaluating her with each second he kept his fiery eyes on her. Then, he nodded. " **It seems I found out why I am truly here.** "

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

you know, writing these chapters, i'm always worried that i'm going too fast, or not writing enough. then, as a comparison, i'm always surprised that i am on par with, at the very least, the UBW anime. it's always a fear, you know? feeling like you're not writing enough content. i hope i did this chapter justice.

and also, with that, we have all seven Servants! maybe there'll be more? who knows! we'll see!

on Caster, i know he's not the one people think when they think of Caster. people go to other choices before him, like Invoker or Warlock, but i felt all the other choices are too obvious. so i went with Oracle. also, lore-wise, he has the capacity of being real utter bullshit, and i hope i can properly utilize it when the time comes.

Assassin is also not an obvious choice, but this time my reasoning was mostly synergy. with Caster and the other Servants, and i feel like he'll fit in better more.

and the items! Casters have _Item Creation_ , and i plan on making use of it, especially to get the Dota 2 items involved as well.

hope you think this chapter is awesome! if you want to, R&R, and hope you guys had a great time!

see you all next time!


	7. The Battle of Illusions

_**The Battle of Illusions**_

"I'm home."

Shirou announced to the empty mansion as he undid his shoes, Saber walking past him further inside. The both of them mostly mentally exhausted from the night's excursion. The allied Masters had decided to part ways on their way home, agreeing to go over their situation at the school the next day. He walked inside, now himself trailing behind his Servant, making his way to his dojo to put back the bokken he had taken out, with Saber herself heading to the room Shirou had provided for her. He walked through his backyard, entering the empty dojo, and had only just now realized the other thing he was holding.

Aside from the wrapped bokken, in his hand was the deceptive looking wooden staff that had a crescent shaped stone tied on one end of it. Seemingly an ordinary stick for the uninitiated, but even holding it he could feel the magnanimous nature of the staff as if ready to burst forth. He could feel his vitality improving, and his mind flowing with even more clarity. Not to mention what he caught from the peripheral of his vision earlier, remembering what Caster had been doing when he wielded the staff during his duel with Saber.

Shirou moved to the corner of his dojo, the farthest point from one edge to another inside the building. He tried waving the staff, but it did nothing. He looked at it, trying to inspect the staff for anymore peculiarities. He stabbed the air with the staff; he planted it to the ground; he spun it in his hand. Nothing.

He heard footsteps amidst his flailing, catching Saber at the corner of his eye as she joined him at the dojo.

"What are you doing there, Shirou?" the Servant asked amusedly.

"I'm trying to do what Caster did." He said with rising frustration. He gave Saber a once over glance. "Is it tied to him?"

She shook her head. "Most artifacts are beyond our time. In fact, that staff in particular has changed hands many a time, be it willingly or forced."

"Then how do you use it? I didn't hear Caster say any incantations." He asked her.

"All you need to know is the name of the artifact. As long as you do, its capabilities are for you to manifest." She further explained.

Shirou looked to her, his eyes locking with hers. "Then, do you know what this is?"

She smiled. "It's called the Force Staff."

His face grimaced. "Are you pulling my leg?"

"No! It really is called that!" she said genuinely, despite the small tug at the corner of her lip.

He gave her a scrutinizing gaze, before shifting his attention back to the wooden staff. He planted the bottom on the floor, leaning it slightly forward, thinking of the name in his head. Thinking of the staff's will. Thinking of the Force Staff.

 _ **BANG!**_

Shirou was on his back on the floor, clutching his face and almost curling into a fetal position with the staff by his side, the staff that had propelled him towards the other side of the dojo. Straight onto the wall, face planting way harder than he had anticipated. Amidst the pain, he can hear his Servant cackling, vibrations felt on the wooden floor and her laughter echoing in the dojo. His own groans invaded his Servant's hysteria. This went on for a full minute before Shirou got on his fours and Saber's laughter had subsided, the both of them standing up on opposite ends.

The Master rubbed his face with his free hand. "Okay. Next time, we do this outside."

"I concur." Saber said with a pleasant smile.

Shirou couldn't bring himself to be displeased with his Servant, seeing her mood already going higher and higher after the previous altercation. With Saber in a better state of mind, the both of them made their way out of the dojo, ready to retire for the night.

* * *

"Yo, Emiya."

Shirou glanced behind him as he was about to leave his classroom, seeing the wavy haired Shinji wave at him, walking towards him. Shirou turned his body to properly face his supposed friend.

"Hey Shinji. What's up?" he asked his classmate.

The known womanizer glanced around, shifting awkwardly right in front of Shirou. This was a knew side to him that Shirou never had seen before. "Word… on the street, is… that you're…involved, now."

Despite the choice of words, Shirou knew what Shinji was talking about. He gave the wavy haired boy a glare of disapproval. "I got dragged into it. What's it to you?"

Shinji seemed to not notice Shirou's displeasure, focusing his gaze elsewhere. "Look, watch your back around that guy. He's trouble."

Again, Shirou knew what Shinji was talking about. In fact, this was one of the topics they had crossed the night before, as Sakura's limited words was enough to convey the story of their apparent summoning. Shirou nodded. "Noted."

Shirou turned and left before Shinji could further respond, making his way towards the roof to meet up with his ally in the Holy Grail War. He brought his bento on one hand and the staff, securely wrapped enough to obscure it, on the other. He walked up the stairs, scaling the floors before reaching the top floor. He opened the door, walking out to the roof to see Rin sitting at her usual spot, a plastic bag of the lunch she bought. And to his surprise, Sakura was there as well, sitting across the twin tailed Master with her own bento. He walked over, joining the two female Masters for their lunch.

"I thought Sakura didn't want to be a part of this, Tohsaka." Shirou said as he sat himself down between them.

Rin had an indignant expression on her face when the male Master addressed her. "I think it's best if she knows what happened, so she can be safe herself."

Shirou nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. You never know what Rider's up to."

"He's not that bad." Sakura said with a pout.

"Well, if you say he isn't, then I'm sure he's fine." Shirou responded, though the awkward smile on his face showed he was not convinced.

"Is Saber gonna join us?" Archer asked as she materialized in a green mist.

"She will, shortly." Shirou replied, looking up at the standing Servant. "The problem with having an act is that you have to keep it up."

As if on cue, the door to the roof opened, and with it Saber walked out, closing the door behind her as she made her way towards the group. She stopped herself beside Archer, standing side by side with the one eyed ginger. Archer seemed to not mind, leaning herself on Saber with an elbow on the other's shoulder.

"So, is Rider gonna make himself visible?" Saber asked, as both Servants knew that the Servant of the Mount was around.

"If he's in the mood." Sakura answered for the Servant.

"Of course." Both allied Servants said, earning an ethereal chuckle from the astralized Servant.

Rin took a bite out of her sandwich, filling her stomach just a little bit before she started the meeting. "Well, I think we should talk about Caster." Everyone's expressions turned grim, as the seriousness of the situation presented itself. Rin looked over to the Servants (the ones materialized at least). "What can you tell us about him? Saber called him _"Oracle_ " last night."

Saber's face scowled the moment Rin mentioned Caster's name, turning her face away when the Master flinched at the sudden expression that flashed on her face. "He gave me the sword. That's all I'll say."

Rin was conflicted; annoyed that she was getting a none answer from the Servant, but understanding that this was a personal matter for Saber. She instead turned to Archer, hoping her own Servant could fill in the blanks.

Archer sighed in defeat, scratching the back of her orange head as she kept her one eye on her Master. "Oracle is a title, as you might have guessed. Just like ours." The ginger Servant started. "The story goes, is that he, along with many others before, were bred and raised to become Oracles to kings. An unending line. A line that ended because of him."

Archer shifted her gaze from each Master, one by one before returning to Rin. "But Caster was different. He was special, and those that around him knew immediately. For every single word uttered from his mouth was in fact a reality. People started to think that he was dangerous, but their King, a practical mind, paid no heed to their prudence."

"All the King saw, was absolute. Certainty. Victory. Glory. He paraded the Oracle to his people, for with the Oracle, came the unparalleled future of their kingdom, and he rejoiced. So, on the penultimate day of his rule, he asked the Oracle for guidance. For he and the army he led was about to invade a small city. A naïve city. Yet, the only words that came out of the Oracle, was " _It could go either way._ ""

All three Masters were unmoving, their lunches left to the outside air as their attentions were held, listening intently as Archer regaled the story of Caster. "Despite the fluid answer, the king took it as a sign of victory, for his army was unstoppable. So, the invasion proceeded as planned. Yet, what happened next was something beyond mortal comprehension."

"The city they invaded became impossible to visualize." Saber chimed in, taking the rein from Archer as she continued the story. The scowl still glued to her face. "In the midst of battle, of the carnage, it all bifurcated. Split. Shattered. For at each poignant moment in the battle, reality broke down and split to pieces. Soldiers who were felled also stood strong, unwilling to end the fight. So do their minds, shattering as they found themselves both alive and dead, existent and non-existent. Victory, and defeat. Destruction, and salvation. The beginning, and the end. All experienced, as one. All experienced, simultaneously. Both armies, falling victim. Their battlefield became a universe of shattered mirrors."

"This paradoxical existence caused everyone to fall to insanity, their minds incapable of comprehending the madness. The king; the _last_ king losing his mind and so did his fated enemy. And it wasn't just the soldiers, but the people as well, falling prey to the Oracle's words." Saber glanced back to Archer, silently imploring the other Servant to continue.

She did as asked, stepping forward slightly. "You see, Masters. It was at this moment, that people realized, that unlike other oracles before him, Caster did not have the gift of clairvoyance. No, what he had was far more dangerous. He did not see to the future, for he _created_ it."

The Servants' words hung heavy in the air, as the three Masters were dumbstruck at what had been told to them. The red shimmer of the third Servant was what halted their thoughts for a brief moment, as he finally made himself apparent to them. Surprised looks were on all the other's faces when they noticed him. He stood a good distance from the other two Servants, his arms crossed over his chest. " **What is interesting, is that long before these events could reach their climax, the Oracle was already casted out.** " Rider started, his deep rumbling voice devoid of the amusement the (other) Masters were used to. " **Bound and gagged, and sent away in light speed out of his dimension, and into theirs.** " He pointed to the two Servants who flinched upon being reminded of the Oracle's existence.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Both Sakura and Shirou jumped in surprise at Rin's sudden outburst, clutching and pulling her brown hair tightly. "What is going on with this damn Grail War?!"

"Uh, Senpai-" Sakura tried to calm the twin tailed Master down, but flinched when Rin continued to vent.

"First, we have Servants not from our world summoned. Then, we found out one of the Servants is a figurative god!" she gestured to the armored form of Rider, who chuckled in amusement at the Master's outburst. " **THEN** , we find out that Caster is capable of manipulating reality, Fate itself?!"

"Tohsaka!" Shirou rushed to his friend's side, his hands finding her shoulders and shaking her aggressively. "Get a hold of yourself!"

The Tohsaka heiress continued crying for half a minute before her yells subsided, her aqua eyes straining stressful tears that she wiped with her wrist. "Thank you, Emiya-kun." She said gratifyingly.

"Rin, I understand the choice we made yesterday, making sure bystanders, the people uninvolved, were unharmed. Hell, I would've done the same thing, and more." Archer started, crossing her own arms. "But you, all of you, need to know. The longer Caster is around, the stronger he becomes."

"And at that point, all he has to do is say "I win" basically, right?" Shirou said, finishing the thought everyone had, with all three Servants nodding their heads.

"Caster knows that in his current state, he is weak." Saber added, shifting her weight around as she stepped aside. "It's why he's recreating the artifacts, and why he apparently summoned Assassin."

"Assassin! That's right!" Rin brought her palm to her face, cringing in remembrance. "Do you guys know who he is?"

Both allied Servants looked at each other, a silent conversation being exchanged, ending in Archer gesturing with her head to the Masters. Saber took the helm. "He is the Bounty Hunter."

"A bounty hunter?" Shirou asked, with Saber raising a pointed finger in response.

" _The_ Bounty Hunter. The one who has slain giants. Felled dragons. Brought down kings and tyrants. All in the name of gold and justice." Saber further explained.

Only Sakura noticed the way Shirou grimaced, and only she knew why he grimaced. She turned to the Servant, this time asking her own question. "What makes him special?"

Saber shrugged. "For the most part, his skills. As a Servant, he is extremely weak, as we could attest to last night with both Rin and Shirou holding him off. But give him his full complement of tools, and he will show how deadly he can be."

"Really, what makes him truly deadly is his inhuman capabilities in tracking his targets." Archer added. "Without a doubt, that would be his Noble Phantasm."

"Is he trustworthy?" Rin asked.

"If he weren't summoned as Caster's Servant, then we would've had an unlikely ally. But for now, trust that he will always hold back." Saber said to the Masters.

"If he's a bounty hunter, then what's stopping him from going all out against us?" Shirou asked, trying to hide his distrust.

"He may be a man of loose morals, but those morals of his are resolute." Saber said with assurance. "He may walk where the gold lies, but there are still things that not even untold riches can make him do."

While Shirou did not relax, Rin let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear at least." She said, mentally exhausted. "Now, the artifacts that he had, what are they, exactly?"

"The wand he used against me is known as Dagon." Saber said to them, the earlier anger seemingly already disappeared from her body. "A wand capable of unleashing untold energies. A wand that grows stronger, more powerful the longer it's used."

"The hammer he pulled out is called the Meteor Hammer." Archer said, snapping her neck from side to side. "Created from minerals from space, it's capable of raining down celestial showers."

"So I assume that thing wrapped in cloth is the last artifact?" Rin gestured with her gaze at the staff Shirou had brought.

"Yeah it is." He said, picking it up from the ground, holding it out to Rin. "Wanna try it?"

"Really?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, Saber taught me how to yesterday." Shirou said as he unwrapped the concealed artifact for her.

Rin cautiously took the unrevealed staff from the male Master, her hand wrapping around the indistinctive stick with a crescent stone tied on one end. Her eyes went down the length, carefully inspecting the artifact. It didn't look like anything special, but she could feel the power it carried. Her heart was beating faster, her mind racing ever more slightly. Her eyes widened as she realized how the staff was more than meets the eye. How within it held power more than she can perceive.

"You just need to know the name, and you can do whatever it can do." Shirou explained.

"And what's the name of this artifact?" she asked, waving the staff around her.

"Force Staff."

She looked to him, her eyes meeting his bearing a nonplussed expression. "What?"

"It's a very straightforward artifact." Archer replied for him as she walked over to her Master. "As he said, all you need to do is know of its name, and its miracles are for you to action."

"Is that so?" Rin asked back. "You don't need to say the name or anything?"

Archer shrugged. "You can if you want to, but you don't _need_ to."

Rin huffed in determination. "Alright then." She pointed the staff forward.

" _Force Staff._ "

 _ **KRISNK**_

"Ow, ow, ow, ow." Rin dropped the staff, rubbing her face after she had been propelled to the chain link fence that worked as a protective perimeter for the roof.

Rin immediately snapped her gaze to the other people on the roof, glaring at them. Saber was facing away from her, showing her back to Rin but the shuffling shoulders were enough of an indication of the fact that the Servant was giggling. Her Master was faring better, his arm over his chest and a fist over his mouth, as he stifled any sound that would escape. Next to him, Sakura covered her mouth with both her hands, surprised and concerned at what happened to Rin. Her Servant on the other hand was loudly chuckling in amusement, slowly dissipating as he shifted back into Spirit Form.

Archer was biting her lip, the corner of her mouth tugging ever so slightly as she approached her Master. "Are you alright, Rin?"

"Just _peachy_." She replied through gritted as she bent over to pick the staff back up. She then shoved it into Archer's hands. "What's the point of this junk anyway?"

"Maneuverability." Archer answered straightforwardly, taking the staff from her Master. "Those who wielded the staff often make use of its capabilities in such manners."

Archer pointed the staff upwards, and was then propelled into the air. Wind surrounded her, slowing her descent as she came back down to the roof. "It can also effect objects." She pointed the staff to the group of Masters, and Rin's bag of lunch was pulled into the air, flying towards them. She caught it with her free hand, handing it to her Master.

Rin took the plastic bag from her Servant, her eyes still pointed at Archer. "But best of all, it can affect other people."

Rin was propelled up into the air, the twin tailed Master blinking her eyes as she realized what was done to her. She yelled out a short scream before remembering she was not as defenseless as she thought she was. She reinforced her body as she came back down, but landed in the arms of Archer. The Servant gave her Master a soft, almost apologetic smile. One that Rin was almost charmed by, quickly shifting her gaze away from Archer as she felt her cheeks warm up.

Archer let Rin get back on her feet, the Master readjusting herself after being flung about like a water balloon. "That's all well and good, what's the point of it? It seems quite useless to you."

"That's right, since we have our own methods. But it's great for you Masters." Archer said, throwing the staff back to Shirou. She straightened herself and turned to Saber, nodding to the other Servant. "Next time we come across Caster, we can at the very least separate the artifacts from him, at the very least you can keep up with the weaker Servants for them."

 _ **RING**_

All three students turned their heads towards the door as the bell that signaled the end of the break rang loudly across the school campus. It also signaled the end of their emergency meeting. Archer gave a quick glance to her Master before dematerializing herself, leaving Saber as the lone Servant visible on the roof. Rin gathered her trash while Shirou and Sakura tidied their bentos, the three of them making their way back. They all stopped, seeing Saber still standing in the middle of the roof.

"Go on. I still want to linger." She said, both an in and out of character excuse as she waltz around the roof.

The three Masters entered inside, walking down the stairs before going their own ways.

* * *

"Senpai, can I stay over?"

Shirou had a bewildered look on his face, shaking his head at the sudden request from Sakura as they by chance met at the school gate.

"I don't really mind, but why?" he asked, quietly worried with the current predicament they were all in. if the Holy Grail War was not taking place, and they were not taking part, he wouldn't have questioned it.

Sakura shifted under his questioning gaze, her hands gripping her school bag even tighter. She stepped closer to him, now inches away from one another. Shirou himself wanted to step back, aware of how the situation looked for him. She then looked up to face him. "Rider said he's going to be busy." She said in a whisper.

Shirou furrowed his brows, wondering what the dangerous Servant had in mind to leave Sakura alone. Based on Sakura's reassurances, he felt that she was at least safe with him around. And now he would make himself scarce. "What is he doing?"

She moved her gaze away from him, but she still answered. "He wants to deal with Caster."

"What? Why? Alone?" his questions poured out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"You two still here?" both Masters turned to see Saber approaching them, hand on her hip as she eyed them mischievously.

"He said he doesn't need any outside interference." Sakura ignored the Servant, answering Shirou's earlier questions.

"But alone? I feel like he won't hold himself back with the priests around." He said, still not completely hooked on the idea.

"He said it's going to be dangerous, and that I should stay with you." The younger Master responded, still not meeting his eyes.

"What's Rider doing?" Saber asked as she reached their side, her expression bearing a serious complexion.

"He's going after Caster." Shirou replied for Sakura. "He shouldn't be going alone. At least have someone to hold him back."

Saber's teal eyes scrutinized the two Masters, shifting from one to the other slowly, yet methodically. She eventually sighed, shaking her head. "Let him be, Shirou." She said in a neutral tone, walking past the two Masters.

"Wait, we're not going after him?" Shirou asked incredulously, walking up to his Servant. Sakura followed behind him.

"Yes." Saber replied, nonplussed. "As much as I hate Caster, I would not like to be around Rider when things get serious." She answered genuinely. "We're fortunate that he's on our side, by proxy of Sakura. And it seems he did not take kindly to Caster's appearance. So we pray for him to finish what we have not."

Shirou followed behind Saber, a disbelieving look plastered on his face at Saber's blunt response. Sakura, beside him, held a guilty look on her face, as only she knew the full extent of Rider's motivations.

And though they were in the right place, she could not deny the worry in her heart.

* * *

The heavy clanking of metal boots on concrete pavement echoed through the empty streets, lit only by the street lamps that sometimes flickered as it was on its last dredges of life. Rider walked down the quiet streets materialized, both as a signal and as an invitation as he made his way towards Ryuudou Temple. He had a clear goal in mind, whether it was completed that night or not. And so despite taking on this vessel as a weaker form, he will not shirk away from his duty. And right now, that duty was to deal with the impending disaster if left unchecked. And he will act before the forces of this universe can even understand the gravity of the danger that loomed over the horizon.

The sound of his footsteps stopped as Rider halted his trek, his eldritch eyes slowly shifting to an unseen form that stood on the power lines above. Someone had answered. " **Reveal yourself, Lancer.** "

The unseen force above revealed themselves in a golden shimmer, crouching on the line with the golden pike rested on their shoulder. Their face still obscured by the straw hat they wore. "You're obvious in your movements, Rider." They said to him.

Rider kept his gaze on the Servant, judging their form with his eyes in silent scrutiny. He then shifted his stare off to the side, as if focusing on something far from where he stood. " **So the Priest has made his move, has he?** "

The Lancer responded only in silence, causing Rider to chuckle amusedly. His misshapen cudgel then appeared in his hand. " **Very well. I will oblige.** "

Rider swung his cudgel behind him, shattering one of Lancer's illusions that had snuck up to deal a flanking hit. He raised his empty arm; a shield materializing to block another attack from Rider's other side. He bashed the illusion with his shield, sending them onto another illusion chasing behind. Half a dozen illusions conjured around him, rushing to overwhelm the Servant. But he was unfazed. He conjured a ball of eldritch energy at the tip of his cudgel, and swung it down onto the ground.

" _ **Chaos Bolt!**_ "

The ground Rider stood on exploded into chaotic chunks of concrete and debris, shattering Lancer's illusions before they could even touch him. He marched forth from the crater he created, keeping a steady gait while the golden illusions rushed towards him. He swung his cudgel in a horizontal arc in front of him, keeping his shield behind him to block and deflect any who tried to sneak up on him. Despite the army of many that came to him from all directions, Rider held his gaze on the one Lancer that had yet to move. The original Servant that anchored these illusions. Lancer realized that despite the limitless army they were creating, Rider knew exactly which one was the real Lancer. They turned around, ready to retreat from the impending Servant, but they were suddenly pulled.

For a second, both Lancer and Rider were inside some sort of pocket dimension, unknown to all, before they reappeared somewhere else a few feet from where Rider stood, the sound of neighing horses filled the night skies as Rider's cudgel came crashing down onto Lancer's golden pike. The blue skinned Servant being crushed under Rider's might, straining with all their strength to hold Rider back. When they felt their defense breaking, they disappeared.

Rider stood up, his eyes onto the empty space of where Lancer and their illusions will appear, cudgel held back to swing. When three Lancers had indeed appeared, he charged; barreling through one of the illusions like they were nothing. This time, Lancer deflected the blow with their pike, causing Rider's momentum to destroy the wall of a nearby residence. Rider kept his assault, pushing Lancer back with all his strength. Lancer kept up with their unrivaled agility, deflecting blow after blow; swing after swing, assisted by their limitless illusions.

As their fight continued down the street, leaving destruction in their wake, they came upon a more wide open space; an empty park. Lancer kicked themselves off of Rider, retreating towards the park with Rider chasing after them; their illusions trying, and failing, to hold Rider back. Feeling enough space was created, Lancer stopped to face Rider once more, plunging their pike into the dirt ground. All the surrounding illusions did the same, as each and every one of their pike started glowing.

" _Spirit Lance!_ "

Bolts of light erupted from the plunged pikes; flying towards Rider's approaching form. He raised his shield, bracing himself for the magical attack. They came from all sides, but his skin; his armor, was barely scathed. As the light dimmed, allowing the darkness to return, Rider's gaze landed on the form of Lancer. The form that was now holding their pike up, pointed upwards. The tip of the lance was spinning, glowing still with the golden light of power. Beneath their straw hat, their golden eyes shined with resolute, staring in defiance against Rider. Rider stopped his approach, readying himself for the inevitable.

 _The Shattered Soul of the Golden Light_

Lancer and their illusions swung their lances in a downward motion, splitting the fabric of reality as gusts of magical energy erupted from them.

" _Vorn's Demise!_ "

As the gusts receded, Rider found that he was no longer standing in the park, facing an army of Lancer's illusions that encircled him. Instead, he stood in the middle of a hall of mirrors. Jagged reflections; broken glass. Each one, instead of reflecting him, depicted Lancer. Each held their lance pointed at him. Rider looked around, observing the landscape of mirrors.

" **So this is how that tale is depicted.** " Rider said knowingly, genuinely intrigued at the Reality Marble he was pulled in.

" _It is indeed so._ " Lancer replied, each and every single one of their illusion speaking with them, their words echoing inside their world. Then each reflection removed the straw hat they wore, revealing the feline face of Lancer, pure white hair and beard complementing their golden eyes. " _Within our soul, we are unmatched. Each of us strikes with the power of a single hero._ "

" **Such arrogance, Lancer. Do you wish to learn your place?** " Rider said, unperturbed by the mirror army.

" _We outnumber you, Rider._ " Lancer boasted, spreading their arms. " _We outnumber them all!_ "

" **Then show me what you've got!** "

Lancer's illusions collided with Rider's form, this time bearing with them strength and power that they could not wield before. Their movements were faster, the pinnacle of the fastest Servant-class. Their strikes brought more weight, capable of staggering the armored Servant they surrounded. Their motes of light they conjured from the tip of their spears burned even brighter; further reflected in the land of mirrors. This time they could match Rider, as their numbers finally overwhelmed the Servant of the Mount. For each illusion shattered under Rider's cudgel, two more struck Rider with their lances. For each blow held by back his shield, two more pierced through Rider's defenses.

Rider resorted to his chaotic balls of energy, throwing them at the mirrors themselves to shatter the source of the illusions that began to overcome his very being. But slowly, they picked apart his defenses; chipped through his armor. Slowly, they got to him. The limitless army of the Servant of the Lance was overpowering him. Lancer's illusions increased the pressure they were holding, increased the intensity of their attacks.

An illusion struck Rider behind his knee, pinning Rider down as the lance pierced through him. Another illusion aimed for his thigh, cementing him where he was. Two illusions shattered his jagged shield, holding his arm in place as two more disarmed him of his cudgel. Half a dozen circled around him, their lances piercing through his torso. The remaining Lancers stood at bay, leaving a single path that one of them walked. The one Lancer, the true Lancer. Their steps echoing in the mirrored world, approaching the held Rider.

" _Any last words, Rider?_ " Lancer spoke, the pike aimed at Rider's head.

Despite the situation, Rider was unfazed. Letting out a chuckle that did not at all seemed strained under the supposed stress Lancer's illusions were putting him through. " **Congratulations.** "

Lancer scowled at the unperturbed Servant, striking true as the lance emerged on the other side of Rider's skull.

And yet Rider's chuckling did not stop. In fact, his chuckling grew louder, and louder, and louder. Until he disappeared in a mote of red particles.

As the Reality Marble dispersed, Lancer was already on the move. That was not Rider they had vanquished, but Rider's illusion. Lancer sent out another one of their illusion towards Ryuudou Temple, while they themselves rushed back to the Church. A gut feeling in their stomach, an instinct, was enough to pull them back to the Church. Such a crucial piece of information that they had forgotten, too caught up in their desire to emerge victorious that they let hubris get the better of them.

* * *

Rider had taken a detour the moment someone had taken an interest in his intentions. His confrontation with Caster would be postponed, for now he was making his way towards the place where the Master that ordered his intervention. Already crossing the bridge, this time he was running. Running as fast as he could, leaving behind craters with each step he took. Craters that looked like a battle had taken place with how destroyed they were.

Sensing Lancer's approach, he sent another one of his own illusion towards the Servant that chased him, so his own steps went unimpeded. He could feel his own illusions going up against Lancer's army, but it did not last as long. Lancer was determined this time, even more so.

He rose up the brick road that led towards the Church, the destruction of a previous altercation still left its mark as he passed it. The bell tower of the Church was in sight, and just as he was about to reach the gate, he had to raise his shield as a mote of light struck him.

He glanced behind him, seeing Lancer finally catching up to him. He huffed in amusement. " **Truly you are the fastest class, Lancer.** "

Lancer pointed their lance at Rider, showing a menacing glare on their face. "We did not expect you to act like an Assassin, Rider." Lancer accused.

" **I do what must be done.** " Rider said as another illusion of his own appeared right next to him. " **It's best that you stand aside, for I wish to speak with your Master.** "

Lancer's own illusions appeared around them; a dozen compared to Rider's one. "We cannot allow that." They said to him.

" **Try and stop me, Lancer.** " Rider said, goading the opposing Servant.

" _We will!_ " all the Lancers retorted, filling the silent night with their cries as they all charged Rider and his own illusion.

The very definition of Quantity vs. Quality as the blue skinned Servant came into contact with the black knight in red, with the very Church as their witness. Dozens of golden lances parried with the pair of black cudgels. This time, still strengthened from accessing their Reality Marble, Lancer was not as weak as they were; each and every single one of them capable of withstanding a few hits from Rider's cudgel before dissipating into motes of golden light. Rider himself was still a beast of a Servant, still unperturbed by the rapid increasing numbers of the illusions.

Rider then swung his cudgel onto the ground, destroying the surrounding pavement and gate as all illusions were pushed back. He then charged at Lancer's actual form, once again pressuring him with all his might. He has no fear of the Lancer-class' unbound agility, for his strength alone will obliterate them. Lancer still tried to keep up, slashing at Rider's shield and armor, but the assault was undeterred. Despite the accumulating wounds, Rider kept pressing on, slamming and slamming Lancer with each beaten hit. His cudgel and jagged shield striking Lancer every time the Servant of the Lance was incapable of dodging.

When Lancer was at their weakest, Rider's shield dematerialized, his hand finding the Servant's neck. The black metal gauntlet constricting around the blue skinned Servant, dropping their lance to restrain the fingers that tightened around their neck. Rider brought the Servant closer to him; his eldritch eyes peering through the golden orbs that stared back defiantly at him. Rider chuckled in bated amusement.

" **Any last words, Lancer?** " the question was echoed back, an irony that was not lost in Lancer's mind.

However, before Lancer could even utter a response, they disappeared in a powerful flash of light. So have their illusions, leaving Rider with his own as they stood in the wrecked path that led to the Church. The Church itself was now the object of his deepest concern, slowly shifting his gaze at the old building. He kept on chuckling, knowing that the Priest had exacted the command to free Lancer from his grasp. This would be an interesting talk, Rider thought to himself as he began walking towards the house of worship, with his illusions disappearing beside him.

The moment he stepped inside the Church premises, a flash of golden light appeared, as it streaked towards him. His free hand immediately catching the projectile that was fired at him; a golden halberd of luxurious make. This did not stop his approach, but now his eyes were on the one that had fired at him, the one he finally got the attention of. One that was scowling at him, showing him a look of anger and disgust.

" **So the Golden King tarries no longer.** " Rider said, steadily making his way closer. " **What's wrong? Did I disturb your slumber?** "

"I do not need to slumber to be disturbed by your presence, _foul being._ " Gilgamesh retorted, his hands in his pockets as golden portals appeared above him.

Rider halted his steps, but still did not seem fazed. " **Do not let your bias against your pitiful deities sour your judgments, O Wise King of Uruk.** " Rider said, managing to sound both sincere and sarcastic.

"You wish to sully my ears with your poisonous words?" two streaks of light erupted from his golden portals, yet once again they were caught by Rider's own hands. "Do not even _think_ of wasting my time!"

The golden portals grew brighter, firing upon Rider's form, only for them to be stopped by two illusions that materialized between them, catching them as expertly as Rider did himself. He did not respond instantly to Gilgamesh's accusations, letting the silence linger in the night. Eventually, he shook his head, seemingly in disappointed.

" **Truly a shame, that you were summoned in your prime.** " Rider said, turning around while leaving his illusions to deal with the golden projectiles thrown at him. " **For that carries along with it, unparalleled arrogance.** "

Almost instantly, portals formed around Rider, chains erupting from them to hold him in place; wrapping around his limbs and torso; his neck and abdomen. "You dare insult the King of Heroes?!"

Rider glanced back, the eldritch fire meeting the bright red. " **Unleash the concept that which you suppress. From it, then you will truly understand the true weight of your future actions.** "

Gilgamesh continued scowling at the black knight, ignoring the illusions as he fired another projectile. A large spear that pierced through Rider, leaving a gaping hole in his torso. Yet, despite that, Rider started chuckling. Louder, and louder, soon joined by his illusions, further echoing in the night. He gave one final glance at the Golden King, before shattering in a mote of red light. Gilgamesh furrowed his brows in frustration, glancing at the two illusions that were cackling in the night.

" _ **You impatience, and arrogance, O Wise King…**_ " both illusions spoke to him as golden portals appeared around them. " _ **…will lead, to your downfall.**_ "

Explosions and debris erupted from the spot from which they stood, leaving no trace of either illusions that had goaded him. Gilgamesh kept the unbecoming frown he had, eyeing the shattered battlefield that is the Church courtyard, before he turned around and stepped back inside the Church; its magnanimous doors closing behind him.

* * *

"Did you get him?"

Rider looked up at the Japanese gate that led to the Emiya household, seeing Saber casually sit atop it with a false sense of apathy. Beneath it, she was as attentive as ever, her true air never letting herself go, for when even when she is amidst paradise, she will always be ready to strike.

" **Saber…** " the female Servant quirked her brow when she was directly addressed. " **There will come a time, where I must shift my form.** "

"What do you mean by that?" she asked confusedly.

Rider ignored her question, continuing on as if he never stopped. " **When that time comes, then for a brief moment, I trust my Master in your hands.** "

She shook her head exasperatedly. "You Fundamentals always speak in riddling nonsense." She sighed in defeat. "Fine, I can look after her for a while. Now answer my question."

" **I got sidetracked.** " Rider finally replied as he stepped through the gate, Saber landing behind him as they walked inside the mansion.

"With what?" Saber asked. "People talk of vengeance, but I wouldn't have minded you dealing with him."

" **With people who will stand with Caster in the future.** " Rider replied, glancing behind to catch the Servant with his eyes.

Saber's face grimaced as an unpleasant expression formed on her face. "Seems like this war will soon be a fight between sides."

" **Seems like it indeed.** " Rider said, turning himself to face her.

"And where do you stand, Rider?" Saber asked, staring up at the Servant with judging eyes.

The black knight in red stared back, this time not showcasing any signs of amusement. He peered through her very soul, before letting a long air through his nose. " **I stand with my Master, Saber.** "

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew, that took quiet a while. sorry people, the weather's really killing shit here. so, another big fight, and another Servant further expanded.

let's talk about them!

for Lancer, i've always felt that although his illusions would be perfect as his NP, i felt like it wasn't enough. you know, should be more epic. so, i thought that a Reality Marble based off of his lore would do the trick. similar to Iskandar's, how their legacy became what it is. and like him along with Shirou/Archer, they can call forth aspects of their Reality Marble. Iskandar, with his individual soldiers, Shirou/Archer with his projections. in here, Lancer, it's how he calls forth his stronger illusions.

and we see more than a cameo from Gilgamesh!

i'll be honest, i'm not to fond of him as a person in F/SN, prefer F/Z Gilgamesh. but, i'll let you guys know, so far i have yet to properly find a good narrative for him, aside from being a powerful entity that out heroes will face soon.

and that's it! hope this chapter was a blast! R&R if ya'll can with it!

see you all next time!


	8. The Green Archer

_**The Green Archer**_

 _Hectic. Distress. Dire._

 _Those were the words the popped inside Rin's mind as she surveyed the scene before her. A coastal village, filled with people running around frantic as they braced for the worst. An impending storm that would strike the small village. Yet somehow, she knew it was futile. All of it, their efforts; their pains; their cries. Futile, as their doom approaches from the very seas they were next to. Not even the green forests that surrounded them could save them. A pity, she thought, seeing all their works be in vain. She walked through the village, circumventing her way through the villagers as they ran around, trying to save and protect whatever they can._

 _She walked through village, down the serpentine dirt path, her mind set on a peculiar looking home. One that did not particularly stand out amongst the rest. For all intents and purposes, another hovel among many. Yet something pulled her towards this particular home. Something made her walk through the mass panic; that was occurring right that very moment to; to the unassuming hovel. She walked through the haphazard wooden door, and made her way towards the noise that was inside the small home._

 _She moved the drape away as she stepped through the arch, seeing something that she's only seen in classes before. A woman, amidst the chaos that the village was going through, was in the process of giving birth. Her eyes widened as she fully took in the scene, her hand moving to her open mouth. She saw a man; most likely the husband, stand by the woman's side, holding her hand and comforting her. She saw another woman, a midwife, urging the pregnant woman to push, and push. The cries of the man and woman filled the room as she pushed._

 _Until another cry embraced the air, followed by the silence of the couple. They stared in amazement at the bundle that was wrapped up by the midwife, brought to the tired woman. She held the baby in her arms, looking to her husband with a tired, but sincere smile. A smile that he shared with her. It was as if they were in their own little world, completely separate from the impending destruction that would befall them just outside._

 _The couple and the midwife did not panic, their faces lacking any sort of troubled or distressed expressions despite what the rest of their village was going through. The midwife wiped her tired and hands with a towel, while the husband and wife curled around their proudest bundle in their arms. They all had the same look on their faces; the smile of content. It was as if, despite the oncoming storm, they were confident that nothing would happen to their child. Nothing would harm her. Their little baby._

 _Their little "Lyralei."_

 _The scene flashed before Rin, changing in an instant. No longer was she in a room with a family and a midwife. Now, she stood in the middle of destruction. Wreckage. Death. Disaster. Nothing was left of the village, as the storm passed them with its wanton and unbiased destruction. There truly was nothing left, no survivors._

 _Except for one._

 _Rin could hear the high pitched cries of a baby, immediately making her way to where the noise came from. She stopped a few feet from where the house was. She could still hear it, but she could do nothing. She was merely a watcher after all. Her face contorted into an uncomfortable grimace as the baby kept on crying, yet she could only stand there, as if waiting for something else to save this distressed toddler. Then, before she knew it, it was as if her prayers were answered, as the entirety of the village was encased in a small typhoon._

 _She could see the very essence of the wind that came to the ruined village, and she could feel it approaching the wails of the toddler. Then, as if it had the delicate touches of a human, it moved the wreckage and debris away from the crying baby. She could feel emotion from this entity; pity. So, with its nonexistent arms, the wind cradled the child, and carried her. Away from the ruins, from the destruction, onto a neighboring village. One that was not victim to such unparalleled demise. The wind deposited the baby onto the doorstop of an unassuming house, and left._

* * *

Aqua eyes slowly awoke, staring at the intricate ceiling as Rin's mind fully embraced consciousness. She blinked, slowly getting up off her bed as her hand stifled a yawn that escaped her. She shook her head as the dream flashed in her mind, still as fresh as a morning fish market. She checked her clock; 5 AM. Way too early for her to wake up, yet she couldn't go back to sleep, so she did what one should do in the mornings. She got dressed for school and made her way downstairs.

She found herself in her kitchen, and got straight to making breakfast for herself and Archer; a courtesy at the very least, she did not want to be rude (or be seen as rude). She was halfway to through the process when she felt the familiar presence of her Servant behind her. Archer stayed silent while Rin busied herself with the breakfast she was making, leaning on the archway with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You're up early." Archer finally spoke, breaking the silence.

"A dream woke me up." Rin replied with her back still to Archer.

"Oh? Of What?" Archer asked curiously.

"You getting birthed." Rin said, earning an amused cackle from her Servant.

"Seriously? That must've been boring." The Servant said back.

"Not too boring." Rin said, turning around to face the Servant, their breakfast prepared. She made her way towards her dining room with Archer in tow. "I saw the wind too."

"Ah, that's right." Archer said nostalgically as they reached the table, sitting down across from one another. "That was nice."

"What you do, Archer…" she grimaced as she tried to form the words in her mouth. "Can it even be called magic?"

Archer shrugged her shoulders. "We call anything magic, Rin. Whether they learned the arcane arts; got cursed by a demon; born with magical prowess; blessed by the gods; it's all the same to us. It's magic. It's why I find the concept of you people separating "True Magic" and "Magecraft" to be so pedantic."

A frown formed on Rin's face, but her tongue stayed, for she had nothing to say that could refute or convince her Servant. The rest of their breakfast was filled with mindless chatter that Archer started, as befit of the talkative Servant. Time flew by until Rin no longer felt tired, with the morning rays filling her up. With not much left to do at home, she made her way to school with her Servant in tow.

"So, Archer…" Rin glanced behind where her Servant would be if the ginger was materialized. "What do you think of our friends?"

Her choice of words did not go unnoticed by the green Archer, who answered in kind. " _I wasn't lying when I said the Master of Rider had an inner strength that Rider took notice of. And considering what you said about her brother, and what Rider did, it makes me question what makes that girl tick._ "

" _Rider…_ " Rin could hear Archer sigh behind her. " _I don't know what else to say about him._ "

"Nothing new? Didn't you say he fought Lancer last night?" Rin asked.

" _He knows a lot more than he lets on. The circumstances regarding his summoning is special._ " Archer explained.

"Do you think Sakura knows?" Rin asked, looking back at the empty space where her Servant would be.

" _Absolutely._ " Archer answered. " _But she's keeping whatever it is from us._ "

A disgruntled look formed on Rin's face. "Can we get anything out of her?"

" _I can_ force _it out of her, but I don't particularly like doing that. And I'm sure neither you, nor anyone else would too._ " Archer replied.

Rin sighed dejectedly. She bit her thumb in frustration, her eyes scanning the streets making sure that there was no one around. "How about Saber then?" she asked, shifting the topic onward.

" _She's a kindred spirit. Despite her past, we can trust her._ " Archer responded behind her. " _If I don't make it, and Saber's still around, don't hesitate to stay under her protection, alright?_ "

"I don't think I would need to, but alright." Rin said confusedly.

" _Speaking of protection, her Master's a peculiar one._ " Rin glanced behind her as she reached a crosswalk.

"Shirou? What about him?" she asked curiously.

There was a silence that lingered, one that unnerved the Master. She thought Archer chose to not give her an answer, but the Servant spoke up when a good couple of minutes had passed. " _You might have been joking when you referred to him as being "suicidal," Rin. But I know of people like him._ "

Rin halted her steps, standing to the side to allow other early risers to pass her if they were to. She furrowed her brows as she stared back at her Servant. "What do you mean by that, Archer?"

There was a moment of silence once more as half a minute passed before Archer answered. " _There are people who would save the lives of others before themselves. And then there are people who would readily sacrifice themselves if it meant not one person would die._ "

Rin's face cringed as Archer gave her reasoning. "And… you got that from the few days we've been allies with them?" she asked, slightly skeptical.

When the street became completely empty; when there was truly no one else around, Archer materialized right before her eyes. The Servant kept her single eye on her Master, showing a neutral, if rather serious expression. "As I've said, Rin. I've known people like that in life. There are telltale signs. And he shines like a beacon so bright that I was almost blinded. A calm façade hiding a broken soul."

The grimace on Rin's face deepened. "Then what do you want me to do about it? What does this even have to do with me?"

"Because you're already involved, Rin." Archer said to her, slowly shifting back to spirit form. "And beside, he's your friend, isn't he?"

A faint blush tinted Rin's cheeks, but she did not turn away. "Well, I guess you can call him a friend."

" _Then keep an eye out for him. We don't want him to fall down a destructive path._ " Archer said to her Master, her voice still not returning to its recognized mirth. " _Well, more so than the one he's in now._ "

* * *

"So what should we do today, Archer?" Rin asked as the school bell that marked the end of the day rung aloud, still waiting as her classroom emptied. "With all the participants accounted for, we have to do something."

" _I say we do something about the alliance we're in._ " Archer suggested as Rin left her classroom.

Rin raised a brow at the suggestion. "What do you mean by that?"

" _Both you and Saber's Master make a great team, but I feel that he's not reaching his full potential._ " Archer further explained. " _He admitted to being a novice magus, so maybe we can rectify that._ "

"Look, Archer. We can't just turn a novice into a first rate magus in a day. That's just absurd." Rin responded with irritation in her voice.

" _I'm just saying, if you help him out, you'll also be helping yourself out in the long run, Rin._ " Archer further reasoned. " _Besides, if you don't hurry, the Master of Rider would snatch him before you can._ "

Rin's face immediately turned a bright shade of red. "Wh-what are you saying, Archer?!" she sputtered out.

" _What? Are you not interested in him?_ " Archer asked, yet Rin could feel the smirk on her astralized face. " _I've seen the way the Master of Rider looks at him, and the girls of your school also seem to have a slight interest in him._ "

"We-well, if he's _that_ interesting, then why don't _you_ go for him, hm?!" Rin said back.

" _Me? I prefer the other side of the field, Rin._ " Archer replied.

"Other side? Wait. What?" Rin was about to turn to face Archer, but was suddenly backed into the wall, as her Servant materialized and was now looming over her, an arm above Rin's head. The Servant displayed a seductive smirk, one Rin's never seen one Archer's face before. Her mouth hung open, words failing her as Archer leaned in closer.

Archer's face was right next to hers; the Servant's lips inches from Rin's ear. " _Interested, Rin? I can show you a_ different _side to life._ " Archer whispered, her breath tickling Rin's ear, sending shivers down the Master's spine.

"A-a-Archer… W-wait…" Rin managed to stammer out, her Servant backing slightly so they were face to face again.

Then, with a predatory smile, Archer closed in. Rin swallowed the lump in her throat, closing her eyes as her heart thumped within her chest. She waited for the inevitable as Archer's breath coasted her face. Conflicting feelings were swirling inside her, and she knew not of what to do, of how to proceed. That was why she froze on the spot as her Servant leaned in ever closer once more. Then, for what felt like an eternity, she felt it.

On her forehead.

Rin slowly opened her eyes, a look of confusion displayed on her face as she looked up to her Servant, seeing Archer back to her cheery smile. She patted Rin on her brown hair, ruffling the twin tailed magus' hair slightly. "When you're ready, I'll show you what heaven feels like. In the meantime, settle your hormones, Rin."

Rin's mouth hung open briefly, her mind still catching up with the situation. Then her cheeks reddened in embarrassment, her mouth forming into an exaggerated pout directed at her Servant. "Archer! Stop making a fool out of me!"

"Haha, I can't promise that Rin!" Archer responded as she dematerialized back into spirit form, leaving Rin alone in the corridor.

The Master gave her cheeks a couple of light slaps, letting her embarrassment die down. She shook her head before continuing on through the school corridor, thankful that there wasn't anyone around to see her with her façade lowered; let alone with Archer around.

* * *

"You did WHAT?"

Shirou flinched back as the twin-tailed Magus screamed in his face, his face grimacing at the genuine anger that his friend was displaying towards him.

"I said I was-" he could barely complete his answer before Rin cut him off again.

"I know what you said! I'm not asking you to repeat yourself! Aahh!" Rin had her hands in her hair, barely pulling it as she managed to keep herself in check. "You're going to kill yourself if you keep doing that, Emiya-kun!"

"Is it that bad?" Saber asked, standing a good few feet away from the two Masters with Archer beside her.

"Yes! Forcing your nerves to act as Magical Circuits is a sure fire way to die!" the red clad Magus almost shrieked back. "Take off your shirt, Emiya-kun!"

"Wait, wait. Calm down, Tohsaka." He took a few steps back, his hands raised to placate the girl.

"Like hell I'll calm down! Take off your shirt!" she almost screamed at him.

Amidst the altercation that went on between the two allied Masters, both Servants kept to themselves as they watched the scene unfold before their very eyes. The tall ginger nudged the Servant beside her. Saber gave the Servant of the Bow a raised brow at the gesture.

"Don't you think our Masters make a good couple?" Archer asked with a smirk on her face.

Saber turned back to the two teenagers; the both of them on the dojo floor as Rin carved out a circle with a chalk that was provided to her with Shirou helping her speed the process along. When the circle was complete, she ordered him to sit in the middle of it. Saber chuckled, seemingly amused by the scene she was watching. "Kind of." She eventually answered. "But I prefer him and Sakura."

"Oh? Pray tell, why exactly?" Archer asked, eager for gossip.

"Well, she's been around him longer, and is trying to pursue him. If he weren't so dense, I'm sure they'd be an item by now." Saber answered.

Archer nodded beside her. "Ah, good. Good! That means Rin still has a chance!"

"Is your Master some kind of homewrecker?" Saber mock-accused.

"Oh please. There's nothing to homewreck yet!" Archer retorted. "So while Sakura's busy being dragged along by Rider, I'll push Rin to fill in that gap she's leaving."

"Oh, you wouldn't dare." Saber replied with a glare at the offending Servant, though the smirk she displayed showed that she did not carry any sort of malice.

Archer too smirked back at Saber, her mind coasting the same wavelength as the Servant of the Sword. "Oh. I _would._ "

" _AAAAHHHHHHH!_ "

Both Servants went on alert, though they stayed their hands as their eyes went over to the two Masters. Shirou was face down on the circle, his arms wrapped around him as he clutched himself in agony. Rin had a guilt laden frown on her face as she kneeled beside him, rubbing Shirou's exposed back to placate the pained teenager. Saber rushed to her Master, concern washing over her face as she too kneeled before him, her hand on his shoulder.

"What happened?" Archer asked as she made her way towards RIn, standing beside her Master.

"Emiya-kun's Magic Circuits for all intents and purposes have atrophied from disuse. He'll be in quite the pain until he gets used to them."Rin explained.

"Can you ease the pain?" Saber asked.

Rin shook her head. "It hurts, but I assure you that it's a far better alternative to death."

"Its fine, Saber." Shirou said as he forced himself up. "This wouldn't have happened if I had proper training."

"Damn right it is." Rin said, standing up off the ground. "It's best that you rest for the night, Emiya-kun. Archer and I will continue our patrols for the remaining time."

"Yeah, be careful out there." He said back, standing beside his fellow Master.

"Always am." Rin nodded to her Servant. "Come, Archer. Let's move while the night is young."

"Tohsaka." The vacating Master/Servant duo paused their steps as Shirou called out to Rin. "Thanks. A lot. I really appreciate it."

A soft pink tinge coated Rin's cheeks, turning away to hide her face from the boy who complimented her. "It's nothing. We're allies after all, and I need you at your best."

"See you later, Master of Saber." Archer said, offering her parting words as she scooped Rin up in a bridal carry. "You too, Saber."

The Master/Servant combo was encapsulated in a blanket of wind, their hair billowing in the air majestically. Archer, with Rin in her arms, lowered herself slightly before she launched herself off the estate. And just as they crested the moonlit sky, a blanket of wind covered them, propelling them farther in the night. They flew with the wind towards the Shinto district of Fuyuki, quietly trusting the safety of Miyama to Rider and his excursions. No matter how mysterious they are.

Their flight landed them on one of the skyscrapers of Shinto, giving Rin the perfect vantage point to survey the area, while Archer benefits from the strong currents of wind that graze the building they were standing on. Rin reinforced her eyes so she could better survey the horizon of the lit cityscape, the bustling activities below only echoing as it reached her own ears. Archer kept her single eye closed, combing her hair back to free her ears, all kinds of goings on reaching her, for nothing escaped her sense of hearing.

Rin turned to her Servant, facing her whole body towards her. "Anything out of the ordinary, Archer?" she asked.

"Nothing insofar right now, Rin." Archer answered, moving to the edge of the building. "The only Servant I can hear is Rider, as usual."

Rin's face turned into a grimace. "Why is he always looking for a fight? No, don't answer that. That's a stupid question. We're _supposed_ to be looking for a fight. This is a Holy Grail War after all."

Archer turned to her Master, appraising the high school girl. "Do you _want_ to?"

Rin threw her hand up dejectedly. "And who will we be looking for?" She asked, almost rhetorically. "Our last attempt did not exactly end the way we wanted it to. Only Rider's showing his hand, because the only Servant I'm confident we can go against on our own is Lancer, but after what you told me, he's currently indisposed _because_ of Rider."

"Then our best course of action is to launch another assault on Caster and Assassin, so we need to wait until the Master of Saber is well and able again." Archer finished for them.

"With nothing else open for us, yes." Rin replied as she tidied and adjusted her uniform.

"Then shall we just call it a night?" Archer suggested.

Rin sighed, bearing mixed feelings on the situation. "We'll stay another hour, then we'll head home Archer."

The Servant flashed Rin her signature smirk. "Righty-o, Rin."

* * *

"You should get changed, Rin." Archer said as the Master plopped herself down onto her bed.

" _I'm too tired._ " Rin complained through her muffled pillow. " _All this effort giving us nothing is disheartening._ "

She could hear her Servant sighing, but she did not budge. With her face still buried in the pillow, she did not hear her Servant approaching her bed.

"EEEPPPPP!"

Rin yelped in surprise when she felt Archer's hands on her twin tails, carefully undoing the black ribbons on her tried to get herself off her bed, but a single hand on her back held her in place.

She turned her head in her pillow to try and see what Archer was doing. "A-Archer?"

"Sshhh, it's ok." Archer said, pulling Rin's red coat off of her. "Leave it to Miss Lyralei."

"Ah, a- okay." Rin replied, her voice nary a whisper. She turned her face back into her pillow, both to hide her blush and also so she wouldn't have to see what Archer has in store.

She felt Archer's hands delicately place themselves on her shoulder, moving around finding purchase. Then, through her school uniform, Archer kneaded her shoulders. Within the pillow Rin's eyes widened as the weight of the world was lifted off of her. Her joints were pressured by Archer's fingers, releasing the built up tension she's had for the past couple of days. One hand moved to her back ribs, and just like her shoulders, the ache in her back that she didn't even know she had was eased. She bit into her pillow, trying to hold back from releasing any sound, knowing how unbecoming they would make her, even more so than now.

"There you go. Just relax, Rin. Relax, everything will be fine." Archer said soothingly as she massaged her Master.

" _I… am…_ " came the muffled reply, as Rin made sure that she was kept in check.

"Good. Good! Just let it all out, ok? Let me handle all of it." Archer said back to her.

Rin nodded, her body feeling better in all regards with each knead, and each pressurized point on her body. She could feel her the energy seep out of her body, her eyelids getting heavier. The fact that she buried her face in her pillow was making it even harder for her to stay awake. In fact, she wasn't even sure she wanted to stay awake anyway. It was subtle; the shift between her own mental debate, and the point at which she actually fell asleep. It wasn't long until Rin embraced the midnight dreams that awaited her.

* * *

 _She could feel it. Soft, delicate hands roaming all over her body. An arm held her in place, wrapped around her abdomen, keeping her back attached to the person holding her. The other hand was wrapped around her chest, cupping her modest breast. She whimpered when she felt lips fall on the back of her shoulder. She tried to catch a glance of the person behind her, but all she could see was the tuft of orange hair that was now obscuring her vision._

" _Archer…" she whimpered, her ragged breath escaping her._

 _The hands and arms holding her in place spun her around so both herself and the ginger was now face to face with each other. The ginger plunged forward, sinking her lips onto Rin's throat, causing a moan to escape the brunette. She wrapped her arms around the taller woman; both to brace herself, and also to tighten the embrace between them. The ginger trailed kisses up her neck, eventually meeting Rin's own lips. They struggled for air together in the heat of passion._

" _Archer." Rin managed to croak out amidst the kissing._

" _Yes, Rin?" the taller woman's voice sent shivers down Rin's spine. A far cry from her usual, high pitched enthusiasm, replaced by a low husky seductive tone that Rin never thought she would hear from the woman._

" _Please…" her lips were taken once more, briefly by the Servant before she was given a chance. "Show me."_

 _Archer pulled back, allowing Rin to see the full face of the woman that embraced her. Angular features bearing light scars. A single green eye staring back at her. Yet she was completely taken in. Archer smiled at her, and it sent flutters down in her stomach._

" _Gladly, Rin." Archer replied, before descending down onto her._

* * *

Rin woke up completely drenched, catching her breath as the late morning got to her. The uniform she fell asleep in was not in a presentable state. And her skirt might be worse, judging from the dream she had. A dream that caused her cheeks to turn red at the memory of it. She shook her head, not too keen on the fact that she has been blushing in greater frequency the past week. She flipped the blanket off of her and made her way straight to her bathroom.

Shoving her clothes into the hamper, she made suit to bathe herself. Cleansing herself, also trying hard not to remember the dream, lest she fall into another stammering mess. She then spent a good hour in her bath. Despite the mental turmoil she was going through, Archer's hands had indeed worked wonders on her. And she was **not** talking about her dream. The physical stress she was accruing was getting to her, but thanks to Archer she was feeling a lot better. The warm bath was amplifying the supposed effects, whether they were real or merely some placebo effect. She finally got herself out when she felt herself almost falling back to slumber. Falling asleep in a bath was an unbecoming thing to do, least of all the potential danger regardless of how ridiculous it was.

She dried herself up and made her way back to her room, looking for a fresh set of clothes to wear for the day. School was out of her mind, no doubt it was obvious that she had overslept, and she didn't even need to check her clock for that. She dressed herself in the usual red she's often found wearing before finally leaving her room and making her way down.

Upon reaching her living room, she found what looked like a prepared breakfast on the coffee table. She furrowed her brows, wondering if Archer wasn't around if she had to leave breakfast for her.

" _Archer?_ " she asked through their telepathic connection.

" _Hey, you're up!_ " came her Servant's immediate reply. " _I know I'm good with my hands, but I didn't know I was_ that _good._ " She ended with a hearty chuckle.

" _I guess I was really tired._ " Rin said back with an amused grin on her face as she sat on her couch. " _Where are you?_ "

" _At Shinto, as usual._ " Archer answered. " _Our patrols are usually in the night, so I'm wondering if there's anything different in the day. Not to mention we have the time, since you're not going to school._ "

" _You got that right._ " Rin said as she took a bite from the hearty breakfast sandwich. Despite its simple nature, she could not deny the taste that was within the bundle of bread. " _I'll join you over there when I'm done with breakfast._ "

" _I'll keep a spot open!_ " the enthusiastic reply lifted her spirits. She stopped eating briefly as she calmed the flutter in her heart. Ever since she summoned her Servant, Rin's been experiencing feelings she'd never thought she felt, and found a new side to herself that she never thought she had.

She huffed in amusement. "Huh, the Holy Grail War sure does bring about interesting prospects." She said aloud to herself as she went back to her breakfast.

* * *

"What are you wearing?" she asked incredulously, seeing Archer's new attire.

"You like it?" the Servant said as she gestured to the new set of clothes she was wearing. A green and orange sporty ensemble befitting of the Servant's extrovert personality. "I wanted to see the place down low, but I think people would look at me funny."

"You didn't have to materialize." Rin asked, sitting across Archer in the exterior part of a restaurant.

Archer smiled at her, and Rin had to hold her breath when she could feel herself rising. "Yeah, but Saber's right. It's fun being "alive" like this."

"I guess I can't fault you for that then." Rin said relenting. She looked around the restaurant, surveying her surroundings, before turning to Archer again, leaning closer to whisper. "Did you find anything _?_ "

Archer shook her head. "Nothing so far. Should we head on out?"

"Yes. We'll make use of this time we have." Rin said to her Servant.

"Alright." Archer said as she stood up. Rin followed suit, the both of them leaving the premises. "So, why'd you wake up late?"

Rin turned to face her Servant, her mind trying to form an answer, yet all thoughts failed to bear fruit, coming to a stop to the dream she had. She swallowed the lump in her throat, already feeling the warmth in her cheeks. "I was just tired." She managed to say back.

"There's gotta be more to it than that." Archer said, unconvinced. "Was it another dream about me? Did you see more of my exploits?" Archer prodded in a rather overenthusiastic manner.

Rin shifted her view away from her Servant, finding something else to look at as they walked through the streets of Shinto. "It was… personal."

Rin carefully glanced back at her Servant, seeing Archer's scrutinizing gaze peer through her. Then she saw a smirk form and cursed inwardly, knowing how perceptive her Servant was. No doubt Archer could piece it together just from her minimal answers and mannerisms.

"Alright. If you say so~" Archer said in a sing-song voice.

"Let's just get on with it, _Archer_!" She almost shouted in embarrassment, whispering to avoid any unwanted suspicions, walking ahead of her Servant.

Archer caught up with the Master without much trouble, wrapping an arm around Rin's shoulder. Rin covered her face with both her hands, trying to hide herself from the situation. Especially with the perceptive Archer not helping in any sort of way. It didn't help that she could hear murmurs from the random pedestrians passing by, no doubt whispering about them.

Things dialed down for her when the pair had made their way a few blocks from where they met up, Rin returning to a more desirable state of mind as they began their patrol. Her reinforced eyes allowed her to focus her vision, meticulously combing through each person she could see, each dark corner and alleyways she covered. Archer herself had the wind helping her, feeling the ins and outs of the city like it was the back of her hand.

"Do you think they're hiding?" Rin asked her Servant as the night slowly descended upon them, suspicion clear on her face.

"They're being subtle is what it is." Archer replied, her eye closed in focus. After a minute of silence, her eye shot open. "I feel something."

Before Rin could ask, Archer had grabbed her wrists and dragged her through the streets. Rin had to catch herself up so people wouldn't think she was being abducted. They ducked inside a secluded alley way before Archer picked Rin up and launched herself off the ground, losing her civilian disguise as her battle ready attire replaced it.

They covered a lot more ground with a single leap, crossing block by block as they ultimately landed in front of an office. With blood covered glass windows.

"Oh no." Rin whispered as Archer let her down, as they both rushed in, late to another massacre.

They rushed past the mangled corpses, a familiar scene like the one she was in previous days before. But this time, she could still hear the commotion many floors above. They did not waste any time, leaping through the emergency stairs to bypass the floors that stood between them.

The door to the floor they were rushing for burst open with Archer's winds pushing through it like a raging hurricane. She aimed her bow and drew her arrow, already aimed at the thing that stood at the end of the corridor, and let loose. The cry of the red demon echoed in the blood stained halls, shifting its attention to her, rushing towards her with its axe raised to strike. Archer leaped back, drawing the demon away as Rin finally entered the corridor, turning to face where the demon just was.

She saw a still alive office lady, her entire body bathed in blood, staining her clothes. Her body was slumped, leaning on the wall as her empty eyes boar a thousand yard stare. Rin rushed towards the woman, kneeling just in front of her.

Her hand went to the woman's neck, double checking to make sure that she was indeed alive. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt a pulse. Rin was about to put the woman into a hypnotic sleep when she noticed her eyes. What had been staring off into nothing mere moments before was now wide eyed and terrified. And they were directed behind her. When Rin felt the prickling sensation behind her neck, she grabbed the woman and barreled herself into an open room right beside her.

The wall erupted as a purple arrow struck where the both of them were. Rin released the woman before inching back to the door, peering outside to see the blue demon aiming another arrow at her, cackling like a maniac. The next arrow loosed shattered the door frame where her face was a second ago. Rin aimed her fingers at the demon, bearing a scowl on her face.

" _Gandr!_ "

Simple curses were nothing to a Servant, but Rin still let out a silent celebratory cry when the red projectile show the bow out of the blue demon's hands. She fired more curses, pinning the demon down even if the curses didn't do much damage to it. The demon could only cry out in frustration as she made sure it did not move.

" _Archer, where are you?_ " she asked through their telepathic connection.

" _Just making sure the red bastard's not gonna do anything else._ " Her Servant replied.

"Shit!" Rin cursed as she flung more curses at the demon.

As the red curses came flying down onto it, the blue demon roared, startling Rin for a second. Yet that second was enough for the demon to pull out two arrows from its quiver, holding one in each hand as it charged towards her. This time, her curses barely even could inconvenience it, the blue demon shrugging off her shots like they were wet tissue paper. The demon was getting closer and closer to her, her shots becoming even more erratic. Rin ducked back inside the room as the demon plunged forward, sinking the first arrow into the wall.

Rin was atop the near catatonic woman as the blue demon covered the door with its entire frame, its mad cackle filling the bloody office. Rin held both arms above her face, reinforcing them as she braced for the attack. The blue demon raised the hand that held the arrow, ready to strike her. But it stopped. Rin noticed how it looked like it had paused, lowering her arms a bit to see that it had also stopped its cackling. Then before her, the demon dissipated into a mist of bile green.

Rin waited a few seconds before she lowered her arms, releasing the breath that she was holding. She got herself up, turning to face the woman that she had saved. The woman who now had her eyes centered on Rin.

Rin sighed before kneeling in front of the woman. Despite the situation the woman was in, there was still something Rin had to do. "Sorry about this."

* * *

Rin looked down on from the skyscraper she was perched on, her reinforced eyes fixated on the woman she had saved. There were still a few more office workers that were inside the building she had to wipe their memories of, but she was focused on that singular woman. Rin only stopped when the woman was carted inside an ambulance, shaking her head before turning to face her Servant.

"We did good, yeah?" Archer said with a slight smirk.

Rin sighed, but somehow couldn't help but smile as she addressed her Servant. "We could've done better, but yes."

"That wasn't so bad, stopping Caster's machinations."

"Yes." A scowl formed on Rin's face. "Can't believe he'd involve people like this."

"As this will without a doubt go on. Just because we stopped this doesn't mean he will." Archer added. "We need to stop this at the source, Rin."

Rin met her Servant's gaze. One determined look for another. She nodded. "Right. Then maybe the Holy Grail War can continue without such nonsense."

"Do you wanna head back?"

"Yes." Rin replied a bit too enthusiastically. "I'd like to get rid of the blood before it leaves a stain. Besides, I think we can afford calling it early."

"Very well." Archer approached the Master, holding the twintailed Master in a bridal carry. Then, blanketed by the familiar winds, she leaped back to the Tohsaka mansion.

* * *

The familiar pale armor of the red Rider shuffled up the stairs to the temple, each step leaving behind ashen prints as his armor echoed through the wooded stairs. Each step conveyed his malefic presence across the mountain. If the priests were awake, they would have felt him coming before he even reached the base of the stairs. He kept on walking, going higher and higher as he slowly but surely approached the temple that house the Servant of the Spell.

Unfortunately, Rider already knew that what awaited him at the temple was only disappointment. Disappointment at his ignored warnings. Disappointment at the surviving Servant. Disappointment on the fact that he barely put the form he was in to use. But most importantly; Disappointment in his impending defeat.

" **You should have heeded my warnings, Golden King.** " Rider declared as he reached the entrance, seeing the golden Servant appraising him from the temple.

Gilgamesh did not respond with words, but with a scowl aimed not at Rider. The Servant of the Mount merely shook his head as his shield and cudgel materialized. " **Yes. Not even the likes of you can circumvent Fate itself.** "

Rider pointed his cudgel at the golden Servant, who now had golden portals appearing behind him. " **I will take down Caster. I will take down the Oracle. And I will go through you if I must!** "

Silence will not come to the temple as a battle far greater than Fuyuki has witnessed will take place tonight.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

yeah, i have no excuses for just fucking disappearing like that. sorry dudes. but hopefully we can all get back on track.

we saw a bit more of Archer today! but! since she will be here for quite a while, i think i'll just leave it at that for the moment.

but whoa, wait a minute!

more Rider, and Gilgamesh? what?!

things are about to get dicey people!

hold on to your butts!

with that out of the way, hope ya'll could R&R, it would be greatly appreciated!

see you all next time!


	9. The First Casualty

_**The First Casualty**_

" _No, father! Please, get up, Father!" a small, feline humanoid figure pleaded to the dying person before him, holding onto his father's hand._

 _His father, with his life slowly slipping away, brought his free hand to the boy's yellow furred head, stroking the boy's head. "Go, son. As long as you are safe, then I do not fear death."_

" _We can still get out of this, Father!" the boy cried out, the fur on his face wet from his tears._

 _The dying man shook his head. "Those fools wanted me dead, and they made sure of it. But you can still live."_

 _The boy kept crying and weeping by his father's side, until he gathered what he could of his will and resolve and stood up. He wiped the tears that streaked his face, and gripped his father's knives. Both father and son locked eyes, the boy showing one last breath of determined anger._

" _I will find them. And I will avenge you, Father. And the world will remember your tales. The exploits of Gondar, the Bounty Hunter." The boy declared._

 _The dying man, Gondar, let out a pained chuckle as his hands gripped the javelins the pierced him onto the wall. "The world already knows of my stories, son." He coughed, drips of blood escaping his mouth. "But they do not know yours."_

* * *

 _The halls were bathed in blood, corpses strewn about as they were slaughtered from within. To these recently deceased, it was betrayal that undid them. But to the one who wielded the blade that struck them, it was vengeance. One that was worthy to be sung by bards as a tale best served cold._

 _The giant of a man strode out of the burning ruins of the Vigil Keep, set ablaze when he burnt the Codex within the Keep's Holy Flame itself. There was no divine protection for these knights, and he exploited it. He dropped the Sacred Helm of the Knights, causing it to be stained by the ashen dirt, and crushed it with his heavy feet. He gave the raging fire that was fueled by his vengeance another once over, satisfied that the ones who dishonored his father were given a rightful end, before turning away with the Outcast Blade in hand._

 _From that day onward, he walked alone. There was no honor amongst hypocritical fools, for it was found only in one's own self. There was no code worth following aside from his own. One that he crafted on his lonesome as he tended to his mother. One that he will keep close to his chest. One that will for henceforth lead him to be known as:_

 _The Rogue Knight._

* * *

 _She stood alone, in a mountain of corpses. All slain by the juxtaposed blades within her hands. Her entire for was shimmering; vibrating nonstop as if it could not comprehend its own existence. She dropped to her knees, her body finally incapable of sustaining itself for much longer. She let out a distorted sigh; one of relief thanks to her recent actions._

 _She looked behind her, seeing a shimmering portal as it slowly closed and disappeared, releasing a quite wave of arcane energy. She forced a smile on her distorted face, happy that her friends had managed to save themselves._

 _Friends._

 _A word that held no meaning to her for most of her entire life, yet one that she begun understand and cherish in the last few years of her life._

 _Friends that understood her plea for freedom, and came to help them in whatever way they can, no matter how small or miniscule it might seem._

 _Friends that shared her interests and desires, so that they could express themselves, enlightening the atmosphere with their presence._

 _Friends who stood by her, and in turn she stood by them, in times of need as they come and went in the hectic lives they had._

 _Friends that now had the chance to live and save the day as she faced her last stand._

 _She relaxed her hands, releasing the paradoxical swords from her grip. Swords that were flickering in and out of reality. Just like her. It was their time._

 _The first sword disappeared in a blink of an eye, leaving no mark as if it was there in the first place. The second sword burned in ethereal fire, slowly dissipating in intense dust from the tip of its blade to its pommel. And then came her. Starting for her already nonexistent feet, her body slowly disappeared, as if she was being consumed by reality itself, having her existence slowly eroded. Yet despite this, as her body burned in a mote of dust, the former assassin known as Mortred was content._

 _For there was no better death for the likes of her._

* * *

 _The room was bright, blindingly so as the only thing he could see was yellow. He waited until his golden eyes could finally see once more, and he rejoiced when the tyrannical wizard was gone. But as he looked up, he found that he was not alone._

 _He was surrounded by his kin. All bearing the same fur as him. All the carrying the same pike as him. All wearing the same golden armor as him. No. He understood. They understood. This was the result of the wizard's death. A consequence that cannot be denied._

 _The collective pikemen heard footsteps approaching them, and the one that stood in the middle willed the others to disappear. And so they did, one by one in motes of golden dust. Slowly the army of one became singular, leaving the one that dealt the killing blow on the wizard alone to greet the footsteps that grew louder and louder._

" _Azwraith!" a voice spoke up as it entered the room, accompanied by many others. Some unscathed, but most of them injured._

 _The one that stood alone in the room, turned to the group that entered, greeting them with a nod._

" _He did it!" one of the injured feline warriors exclaimed with a strained smile. "Vorn is defeated!"_

 _Cheers erupted amongst them, relief washing over them all as they congratulated one another. One of them approached the champion, eager to share their victory with the one that achieved it. He reached out, but his hand did not find purchase. The cheers turned to silence when their champion disappeared in a golden mist. They were stunned. Confused. Silent as their mind slowly processed the information._

" _He's gone." One of them stated._

" _Then, that was…?" no further words were needed. They all understood._

 _It was a hefty price that they paid. The price for freedom was one of their own._

* * *

" _No comments on what we did?"_

 _A cloaked, ashen skin woman turned to face the one who voiced the question, appraising her. A bright, cheery ginger ranger, the exact opposite of her, with one less eye with a makeshift eye patch still wrapped around her head. Her freckled cheeks were still stained with dried blood._

" _What comments are needed?" the gloomy, dark clad ranger asked back, though she did not rest. "We could have done more, we could have saved more."_

" _We could have, Traxex." The ginger ranger replied. "But we still did the best we could. And I think we did great! The village still stands, and the bandits are no longer anyone's concern."_

 _Lyralei smiled at her companion, the genuine emotion almost catching the ashen ranger off guard. She turned away, not daring to meet her fellow ranger in the eye. "We still should have done more than our best. We are heroes after all."_

" _But we are not omnipotent." Lyralei responded, closing the gap between them, hugging her fellow ranger reassuringly. "We are not like our friends, Traxex. We are not grand magi; clairvoyant geniuses; gods. We are, for the most part, mundane. And as such, even if we are heroes, we did the best we could."_

 _The ashen ranger felt hands land on her shoulders, turning her to face the ginger ranger. A bright smile was plastered on Lyralei's face. A smile that was far more infectious than it should have been. "And the villagers are still forever grateful for what we did. So don't be too hard on yourself."_

 _A small smile slowly formed on Traxex' face, her sullen mood brightened by the Windranger. "Thanks, Lyralei."_

 _The ginger ranger's smile widened even brighter as she shared the moment with her companion. "Happy to help."_

* * *

 _An endless void; an empty expanse of darkness. And within this eternal space, before the very universe was born, were four distinct lights, circling one another. Coalescing one another. Complimenting one another. Existing with one another._

 _All four were instrumental; Fundamental in the creation of the universe and its endless parallels._

 _The crucial being of the universe requires their existence. Not even death could hold them. For if their being were forever erased, then so too would the universe disappear._

 _Such is the nature of the Four Fundamentals of the Universe._

* * *

 _The vessel was launched, its trajectory heading towards the wormhole at the edge of the galaxy. A prison vessel housing only one prisoner. A vessel that was commissioned for the inevitable._

" _Is this truly a wise decision?" a tall, blue skinned man asked to the person beside him as they watched the vessel become but a dot to their naked eyes._

 _Ruby eyes returned the question that was asked, bearing a look of determined resolution. "If her was not dealt with, our people will be forever doomed." A feminine voice escaped the second blue skinned being._

 _The male figure grimaced as he looked back to the distancing vessel. "We are dooming whatever civilization that will no doubt come into contact with him."_

" _That is a necessary sacrifice." The woman replied. "Our people's concerns are more important than a hypothetical existence beyond our own."_

 _The man could not respond any further, though his apprehension was still clear on his face. The woman shook her head, gesturing behind them to another monitor that showed the results of the prisoner's "prophecies"._

 _An untold nightmare made manifest. A land where both sides of the conflict were victorious and defeated. An existence that contradicted one another, creating some kind of madness that no one could ever imagine._

" _I would any sort of repeat incident such as this be in a land as far away from here as possible." The woman stated as she faced the man while approaching the monitor._

 _Once more the man could not refute her actions, especially with the reasons so plainly laid out in front of him. "I understand." He said begrudgingly._

* * *

 _The Omniscient Omnipotent Star_

 _Sha Naqba Imuru_

Red eyes slowly opened to the dimly lit room beneath the church, a slowly drawn out breath releasing as the Servant contained his anger. He stood up from the leather sofa he normally lounged in and made his way towards the exit. He didn't bother addressing the Priest, silently praying at the altar as he marched pass the pews. He heard the Priest call out his name, but he did not respond. He shoved the doors open and made his trek towards the temple.

His walk under the night sky was met only with silence, with only his footsteps being the only noise he could hear. The Golden Servant was accompanied only by his thoughts. His mind racing back to the moment the current war began, loudly proclaiming how much of a disappointment the 5th Holy Grail War was compared to the one he partook in. And it went downhill from there. With each new Servant entering the battlefield, he grew even more frustrated. Each new Servant was an anomaly. One that he had no idea how to perceive, unless he unleashed that which he held back. For the most part, he would have gone with his plan to observe the coming conflict before he would act. Unfortunately, not even that plan came to fruition.

On the night his sanctuary was breached, his anger and frustration had reached its peak. And by the being whose malice was far darker than the Avenger residing within the tainted Grail itself. Just because he was not the target, does not mean he could ignore the transgression that was committed before him. And so he confronted the blasted being that stood within the church grounds.

And was met with words of caution.

Caution in regards to the coming conflict. The ancient being disguised as a black knight uttered words of his impending doom before he shattered just like Lancer's illusions. With the brief intruder dealt with, he returned to his sanctuary to rethink on the ongoing Grail War. Why would; no, why **should** he listen to the lies of such a foul creature? To do so would be madness, Gilgamesh thought, especially as the King of Heroes.

But there was doubt building within him. A mere tiny speck, but it was doubt nonetheless, and he could not ignore it, lest it fester and rot, and forever taint his being. An entire day, his usual routine was disrupted as he sat within that dimly lit room, contemplating on his next moves. He debated, and debated, and debated, endlessly until nightfall came back. It wasn't until his brief remembrance of a green haired being brought him back down to earth.

His closest, and only true friend.

Gilgamesh nodded, now with the memory of his most steadfast companion, released the Noble Phantasm that he held back.

And all of a sudden, everything became clear.

These foreign Servants were one matter. But Caster, a true blight on his earth, his **Kingdom** , is tainting it with his presence. Just like what Rider had meant. He will not allow it. If the unnatural existence of Rider was a threat to his being, Caster's presence was even more an insult. To have such a foul creature walk amongst the people within his kingdom is a crime that he himself will carry out justice.

As his brief thoughts resettled themselves, the Golden King found himself at the base of the stairs that reached Ryuudou Temple. He traversed the steps with conviction, already preparing his arsenal from within his treasury. Along the path, he could feel the saturated magical energy that bathed the whole mountain. It was too foreign, no longer of this earth. His scowl deepened realizing that Caster had completely taken over the leylines. Even more transgressions were committed before him.

The moment he stepped through the temple gates, a Servant awaited him. But not the one he came to place judge upon. A short feline person, half the height of Lancer but of the same kith. The reluctant Assassin, summoned by the foreign blight.

The yellow furred Servant gazed upon him, before sighing and finally bowing before him. "Welcome, your Majesty."

His manners were lacking, but he did his research for a Servant in foreign lands. "Where is the foul being?"

Assassin straightened himself, before gesturing towards the center of the courtyard. "There." He pointed to the floating scroll.

That's right. That was the form he took when the allied Masters stormed the temple with their Servants. They failed to vanquish the fiend, though they did not leave empty handed.

Golden portals appeared behind him, followed shortly with the first of many of his treasures, sailing through the air as it aimed towards the scroll. Explosions of concrete erupted, filling the courtyard with obscuring dust. He waited for the dust to settle, and when he saw the scroll still fluttering, more golden projectiles were fired from the portals. Once more he waited for the dust to settle. This time, there was more than just a scroll.

Floating above the craters left by the golden weapons was he who had stained his garden. And within the left empty hand of this criminal was a gold and grey staff, with red lights shining from the two eye-like sockets on one end of the staff. And this wretched Caster had the audacity to smile at him.

"Ah, the Surviving Servant." Caster said, acknowledging his presence. "I had hoped you would have ignored us, but I guess that's out of the window for now."

"You dare speak to me, mongrel!? How dare you even think of attempting to preach your venomous lies to me!?" Gilgamesh bellowed, firing another golden weapon at his target, who deflected the attack with the swirling cape behind him. "Stay still, so I may render my judgment upon you!"

Another artifact flashed into existence in Caster's other hand. A grand and mighty hammer with ornate runic designs emblazoned on it. Electricity crackled along its make. "I'd rather not." Caster spoke back, firing a thunder god's might upon the Golden Servant as thunder bellowed through the trees.

Without wasting another beat, golden portals appeared in front of him, as golden shields and bucklers of different kinds protected him from the onslaught of the imitation of a Nordic god's weapon. Gilgamesh fired back with more ferocity and tenacity, his rage still slowly building with every second Caster lives. The golden staff within Caster's hand shimmered, and in retaliation Caser was surrounded in a golden layer, with his form doubling in size. Gilgamesh's scowl further deepened as his attacks were shrugged off thanks to the artifact; each golden weapon flicking off of Caster's enlarged form.

The golden staff then flashed out of existence, replaced by an oceanic orb that was constantly dripping like a waterfall. The orb began orbiting Caster's hand as some form of sorcery was being channeled. More portals began appearing, its attacks enough to disrupt Caster before he could even utter any incantation, yet the spell still took effect, launching some kind of wet projectile at him. A shield moved to block the rather slow projectile, yet that didn't seem to stop it, as the projectile exploded in a watery explosion. Gilgamesh felt his movements hindered almost to a crawl, and his eyes widening when the golden portals to his treasury slowly dissipate.

"Mongrel, what have you done?!" he called out with rage at Caster, who relaxed his form.

"Are you not going to do anything, Assassin?" He asked the other Servant, ignoring Gilgamesh's anger.

"Are you out of your mind?" Assassin replied nonplussed. "You told me to find out all I can about him, and I told you he is not someone to be trifled with. Probably almost to the levels of Rider."

"You will not ignore the King of the garden you soiled upon, Mongrel!" Gilgamesh yelled, slowly but surely unbinding himself from the watery hold, feeling access to his treasury slowly return.

"Oh, this is troubling." Caster commented, seeing his spell losing its effect. He sighed, choosing the more patient choice as he clasped his hands together.

A wave of magical energy erupted from Caster, causing the trees to rustle and the very earth to shake. Gilgamesh pushed forth with his will, eventually succeeding in unraveling himself from the watery prison. He aimed his hand at Caster, as more portals appeared, with golden weapons protruding from each portal.

" _Rejoice, King Gilgamesh! For glory and greatness awaits you!_ "

Gilgamesh's eyes widened when he felt his entire being held still by a powerful force. _No!_ He thought to himself, realizing that he was too late.

Caster spread his arms open, slowly floating towards the Golden Servant. " _Glory that is unparalleled to your reign ages ago. Greatness that cannot come soon enough! One, that you cannot even wish to ignore!_ "

Gilgamesh's furious glare that he directed at the offending Servant did not falter when the golden light dimmed, his treasury slowly being stowed back. His body was shaking with anger. This influence that was enveloping him was powerful. More powerful than a command spell. More powerful than the Grail. Such is the power of a man capable of manipulating Fate itself.

" _With me at your side, the stars too will be your kingdom!_ " Caster further spoke with a proud and accomplished smile on his face. " _Unfortunately, there exist forces that will stand in your way. Forces that will stop at nothing to eliminate the kingdom you so gloriously created! But, you know. If you fell this beast, nothing else will stand in your way!_ "

Silence followed Caster's sorcery. The surrounding trees and earth looked lifeless as if a century of death had passed, and the magical energy that bathed the mountain was severely weakened. Assassin approached the two Servants with a troubled look on his face as he surveyed the damage Caster's words did. Such a power required unmatched fuel to accomplish, and Caster used it without a second thought.

"Can't believe you did it." Assassin said, standing beside the now silently fuming Gilgamesh. "You lost a lot of your reserves though."

"A necessary sacrifice, Assassin. Those reserves can, and will, be replenished." Caster said, still smiling to Gilgamesh. "Now, we have the most powerful Servant of this earth at our side."

"You think he can stand against Rider? Stand against the Chaos Knight?" Assassin asked, still doubtful.

Caster shrugged, but pleased nonetheless. "We shall see." He looked at Gilgamesh straight in his eyes, green neon exchanging with raging red. "Rider will no doubt be here shortly. So I think you should prepare yourself, _your Majesty._ "

Gilgamesh scowled, but his body carried on the subtle command. The curse-like influence was too much, even for someone with his willpower.

* * *

An eruption of gold and red filled the temple as two powerful entities engaged in combat, golden weapons clashing with the many cudgels of the ashen knight's illusions. Each illusions just as powerful as Rider, bearing the same strength as skill as they either dodged, deflected, or catch the golden weapons that were fired upon them. And though Gilgamesh's might slowed them down, they were still inching their way closer to him.

 _Throne of the Heaven-soaring King_

Behind the Golden Servant, the largest portal appeared, almost shoving the night away.

 _Vimana_

Gilgamesh leaped off of the shattering courtyard as the large portal that appeared above and behind him grew brighter. Along came one of his most prized treasures, basking the temple with its golden splendor as its emerald wings spread. He sat on his throne as he took flight, further creating distance from the ashen knight.

" **Very clever. But that! Will not! Be enough!** " Rider's hand, still gripping the cudgel, shot into the air. Malefic, chaotic energies permeating from it.

 _That which Tramples the End of Times_

The chaotic energies engulfed Rider and all his illusions, blanketing the area in blackish red.

" _ **Armageddon!**_ "

An explosion erupted where Rider stood, shattering the surrounding architecture and leaving destruction in its creation. When the red cleared, Rider and his illusions were no longer alone. Now, along with them, is the steed of the Chaos Knight himself. An aspect of the Fundamental that also shared its nature of unbridled malice. With each of them mounted, they took to the skies, leaving craters from their launch as they soared towards the golden aircraft.

There was still a generous space between, and Gilgamesh sought to take advantage of the one thing he had that Rider did not.

Range.

Although the ashen knight could keep up with the Vimana alongside his contingent of illusions, they still were bombarded with golden treasures that were fired from Gilgamesh's arsenal, with heavy fire rained upon any illusions that would stray too far from the herd. The darkened skies of Fuyuki were lit by the forceful contact of gold and red, their conflict thundering throughout the city as the herd of illusions chased the golden aircraft without hesitation.

The first illusion, one that was far ahead of the herd, got the brunt of the Golden Servant's wrath as wave after wave, volley after volley of projectiles impacted the ashen illusion. With so much concentrated effort focused upon it, the illusion did not stand a chance as it eventually shatter in a red mist, turned into nothing but a pin cushion for Gilgamesh's treasures. The rest of the herd was unscathed, each and every mounted Knight dexterously weaving through each volley, deftly catching golden weapons with familiar expertise.

Rider stayed calm despite his chaotic nature, choosing to wait for reinforcement to replace the fallen illusion before he would play his first hand tonight. With virtue on his side, a new illusion soon joined his brothers. He held his cudgel high through the forceful winds, aimed at the Golden Servant, and bellowed an order to his kin that shook the city below them.

" **Charge!** "

As one, the knights marched through the skies like an unstoppable red iron curtain. Their shields raised together, serving as an impenetrable wall that could tank through the harshest of onslaughts from the Golden King's treasures. More portals emerged above Gilgamesh, further illuminating the aerial battlefield as the Vimana led them towards the seas. And with illumination comes with more weapons to be fired upon the Servant that was chasing him. The Vimana flew even faster, yet the destructive warhorse that the Chaos Knight rode seemed to be inching closer to him. This was beyond the damnable Caster's curse. This was a being that had succeeded in sowing the seeds of fear within him. HIM! The King of Heroes! The world's oldest and most powerful hero. And to be brought down to a mewling kitten? Preposterous!

A portal appeared beside the throne he sat on, and the handle of one of his most prized treasures emerged from it. He clasped it and drew it from the portal, bearing the night skies of Fuyuki to be graced with its presence. A "sword" that did not share many traits with what most would think as a sword. Instead of a blade were three black connected dull cylinders, each bearing crimson cuneiform markings. The Sword of Rupture. Ea. The Divine Construct that symbolized the heavens, the earth, and the underworld. And together: the Universe.

He pointed the sword at the approaching knights, each cylinder spinning in opposite of each other.

 _The Star of Creation that Split Heaven and Earth_

There were few who were worthy to have Ea used upon them. Even his conquest against the King of Conquerors was an act out of respect. This was a moment in which nothing else within his treasury **but** Ea could face. And so, a wave of divine energy erupted from the sword, enveloping the whole of Fuyuki and its skies, starting from the seas they were above of.

" _Enuma Elish!_ "

When the waves had washed over them, reality began to fold into itself. The seas were parted, as an endless void began swallowing the waters. The skies shattered into pieces, as space itself began to break apart. The miracle of genesis will bring forth all to its earliest state. The Rider class Servant looked at the destruction that was caused, scrutinizing it with the hellfire in his eyes. Then not a moment later, he brought his gaze back on the Servant piloting the golden aircraft.

Rider spread his illusions alongside the abyss that spread through space itself, and then each and every one of them, including himself, had their armaments disappear. Barehanded, each knight spread their arms open, as if inviting genesis. But Rider stood out. His hands were no longer covered by the ashen gauntlet of his armor. Gilgamesh could the very flesh of the Chaos Knight himself, looking like it was fighting to exist within the world. Bathed in the malefic hellfire that Rider had embodied, his burning arms raised to the skies like a ceremonial pyre. His illusions copied his actions, though they did not carry the flames along with them.

" **You are a fool, King of Heroes!** " Rider bellowed as his hands began vibrating with chaotic energies. " **Only I! Will bring the End of Times! Only I! Will bring forth Ragnarök! Armageddon! Qiyamah! Aḥarit ha-yamim! Frashokereti!** "

" **Only I! Will bring the end to the Universe!** " With one final cry, Rider clasped his hands together in a loud, thundering clap.

And as if Gilgamesh had not even brought forth Ea from his armory, the destruction began piecing itself back together. The abyss closed back; the skies returning to form; space itself reforming again. The survivor of the Fourth Holy Grail War could only look on in stunned silence as his trump card was brought down to nothing. His grip on Ea tightened as the portals behind him dimmed as he came to terms with the very nature of this cosmic creature.

When the damaged had been repaired, Gilgamesh noticed that only Rider stood alone; his illusions were no longer standing beside him. The ashen knight had yet to move from where the divide had been created by Ea. Just alone, staring down on the King of Heroes like an immortal would an insect. The same glare he would show the mongrels before him.

And there he was, no standing mere feet away atop the Vimana. Gilgamesh stood up from his ruby draped throne as Rider closed the distance between them at the speed of thought. The Chaos Knight's cudgel and shield were back in his hands; his gauntleted hands no longer free from its restraints. Rider brought the cudgel up above them.

" **The time for games. Is over.** "

Just as Gilgamesh's portals reappeared above him to strike down his foe, Rider brought his cudgel down on the aircraft.

" **Chaos Bolt!** "

And so the Vimana, once basking the skies with its golden and emerald splendor, now came crashing down to the Fuyuki Harbor bathed in hellfire. The entire area brought to ruin; shipping containers destroyed, the red cranes now but a mere husk of metal.

* * *

The Golden King walked out of the wreckage of the Vimana, his body scratched and bruised, with blood and grime staining his ripped attire. In his hand, he still had the Sword of Rupture gripped from the fight. He turned to face the burning wreck, waiting for the fiend that brought down his treasure back to earth in the most heinous possible way. He waited, patiently, for the blackest of all knights to finally emerge from the destruction he had caused. Once again, his hands free from any sort of weaponry.

" **I would ask for you to yield, but I know that you cannot.** " Rider said as he stood apart from the wreckage himself, a good distance away from Gilgamesh.

Throughout this entire farce, Gilgamesh has not uttered a single word. For he knew, his own words would be lies because of the supposed curse that was inflicted upon him. Instead, he raised Ea again, pointing it at Rider though he did not activate it. There was not much option left within his arsenal, not even perceiving Rider with Sha Naqba Imuru would show him the path to victory. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that the "correct" path was not to engage the Fundamental to begin with. There was no way of ever truly killing a Fundamental; if they were ever to "die", they would reappear again. And if somehow Gilgamesh could ever have truly eliminated one of them from existence, then the universe itself would implode, bringing all of existence into nothingness.

" **Are you going to do nothing?** " the voice brought Gilgamesh back from his thoughts.

The Golden King's scowl deepened as golden portals reappeared. Rider casually strode towards Gilgamesh, taking his time as the Chains of Heaven emerged from each portal, encircling the Servant of the Mount as they moved to bind him. It worked, but only for a moment, as now chained with Enkidu, Rider merely glanced at the chains with mild curiosity.

" **The Chains made to bind gods.** " He commented as the chains suddenly tightened. " **But I! Am! No! God!** "

The chains shattered under Rider's might as he kept walking onwards, more chains emerging from the treasury to impede his movements, doing very little to actually do so. Seeing no other option, Gilgamesh moved to meet Rider in the middle, using Ea as a conventional sword despite its appearances. Enkidu did not stop emerging from the golden portals, with each new chain for every shattered one.

Rider closed the gap between them, momentarily halted by Enkidu before his punch could connect with Gilgamesh's form. The Golden Servant then pierced Ea on Rider's chest, but the dull cylinder sword was met with resistance, only managing to dent the dull armor. The sound of broken chains signaled his impending danger, as a fist came into contact with Gilgamesh's abdomen, sending the Golden King crashing into the wrecked containers.

As Gilgamesh brought himself out of the wreck, he felt the searing heat of Rider's gauntlet grasping his neck, pulling him out of the rubble and bringing him up above dangling off the ground. The dark iron gauntlet tightened its grip around his neck, smoke appearing as Gilgamesh was slowly burned by the choke. With his tremendous willpower, Gilgamesh still stabbed Rider with Ea, this time the cylinders spinning even though not much damage was done upon the black knight.

" **Guh!** " Gilgamesh caught sight of movement behind Rider as a form flickered into existence.

It was Caster, holding an ornate purple sword with a glowing gemstone at the bottom of the blade. He sighed as he gave a side glance to Gilgamesh, before facing Rider again. "You might be a Fundamental. But for now, you are still a Servant. There are still rules you need to follow." This time, he did not carry the same mirth he usually had.

Rider gave Caster his full undivided attention, the aura of malice radiating off of him like the sun itself in a harsh desert, while still holding Gilgamesh up. " **You truly are a FOOL! Caster!** "

Before Caster could even take a moment to notice, a cudgel struck him on his chest as Rider's illusion appeared, striking Caster hard with the might of a Fundamental. The Servant of the Spell was launched across the pier, streaks of green blood bathing the pavement as he surged through the ground. With his hands free again, Caster called forth another artifact. A deceptively simple looking wand that was shaped like a human's thigh bone and wrapped in blackened leather with a bright red gemstone at the tip. He pointed the wand at Rider, and a crackle of magical energy erupted, encasing Rider's form.

Gilgamesh gasped for air when Rider's hold was loosened. As he gathered his form, he noticed Rider down on one knee ethereal cracks roaming around his body. Without hesitation, Enkidu shot out again, further encumbering Rider. The chains were taut; straining from the magnitude of strength it was holding, as Rider began screaming at the presence of Caster, who was still on the ground despite delivering the supposed crippling blow.

As the first of Enkidu's chains began breaking, Gilgamesh activated Ea on top of Rider, concentrating the Sword of Rupture's core onto the singular being. More chains were breaking, and more of Rider's strength was returning, so he did not have much time. Another portal appeared from behind Rider, as a grand spear emerged from it, aimed at Rider's heart. And when it fired, silence followed.

It struck true.

The gleaming weapon was lodged within Rider's chest as he no longer bellowed under restraint. From the same portal, another spear was shot out, piercing Rider's head.

A Servant's existence is tied to its Spiritual Core. No matter how much damage they sustained, they could heal it all off eventually. But direct damage to either their heart or head, the ones with the strongest connection to the Spiritual Core, only a few number of Servants can live long enough to see their own demise.

And though the crippling effect of the wand had worn off, the chains were still taut. It was for this reason that Gilgamesh did not relax, even though Caster approached Rider's form. Still the jovial attitude was absent from the Servant's face, and before he could speak, Rider was the one to break the sickening silence that filled the harbor.

" **You… Caster, I underestimated your foolery. If you think… this is the end.** " The hellfire Rider had for eyes met the neon green of Caster's, and he chuckled. " **And the funny thing is… you** _ **know**_ **. Because what you have done here…** " Rider turned to face Gilgamesh, still with the spear emerging from between his eyes. " **Is make. It.** _ **Worse.**_ "

And with that, Rider's vessel shattered, erupting in blackened dust.

* * *

Within the Emiya Household, a purple haired girl laid in slumber within one of its many guest rooms. For the most part, he sleep had been peaceful. Yet, at that moment, her face grimaced in despair. For even in this unconscious state, she knew what happened. Tears began forming in her eyes as they dripped down her cheeks, wetting the pillow she rested her head on. Her hand reaching to cover the other as if hiding the pain. The Master to the first Servant who fell. But something was amiss. Something that she would not notice until the break of dawn.

The command spells in her hands had not faded.

* * *

Within the final destination of the exhausting battle, Assassin picked up the purple sword that Caster had dropped when Rider's illusion struck him, casually placing it inside his bag of holding. "You know you're fucked, right?" he said to Caster.

Said Servant was slowly healing himself with one of the artifacts he had recreated. Although it was less of an artifact and more of a convenient object to have, as he consumed the glowing green liquid. "It's why we must make haste, Assassin." Caster replied, still not regaining his jovialness.

The wounded King approached the feline Servant, causing Assassin to look up to him. "You're saying Rider is still alive?" his first full sentence since the curse took effect.

"No, Rider is gone." Assassin answered. "But the Chaos Knight is still around."

"His words; his actions; they confirm one thing. That the Fundamentals truly are beings that exist across all universes." Caster explained. "And to incur the wrath of one, is to incur the wrath of all."

Assassin sighed, shaking his head. "I hope they understand where my stance on this is."

For the first time since Gilgamesh could remember, he laughed. Caster looked confused, though Assassin did not seem to care much of it. "Looks like you will get what's coming to you, _Mongrel_." Gilgamesh seethed. "I am beyond disappointed that I will not be the one to render judgment upon you, but to know that there are those that can put you in your place puts my heart at ease for what you have done to my Kingdom."

Assassin chuckled, no doubt agreeing with the Golden Servant. Caster himself looked put off by the display, and he briefly considered drawing upon his useful talent. But he decided against it.

"We will need to work fast, gents." Caster announced, putting the exchange behind him as he turned to face where Mount Enzou stood. "First things first, while I am intrigued by the entity that resides within the Greater Grail, I can think of a better alternative."

Both Gilgamesh and Assassin stopped their laughter, Gilgamesh I particular was quite familiar with the entity thanks to the last Holy Grail War.

"You speak of Aŋra Mainiiu." He stated, earning a nod from the Servant of the Spell.

"Very much so. " _All the World's Evil_ " and yadda yadda yadda." He said in a bored tone. "That's great and all, but I can think of something that will be a great deal more useful."

A perplexed expression formed on Assassin's face as he listened to Caster's words. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Caster turned so he was face to face with the Servant he had already summoned, and smile. "I'm talking about summoning our _own_ Avenger. And I'm sure Aŋra Mainiiu will be a decent meal for him."

* * *

 _Somewhere across the World_

A white, sterile lab, small and compact filled to the brim with various scientific equipment. Inside of it were three individuals, all working independently on a project one of them was directing. One man and two women, all scientists with different fields and expertise.

One of the women, bearing a mousy brown hair atop her head, bearing innocent blue eyes with freckled cheeks that further emphasized her stereotypical appearance. She was carefully placing the experimental samples she was in charge of into a protected area, working slowly as to not jeopardize the experiment, knowing how clumsy she was. Especially with her superior's temperament.

The single man, black hair and brown eyes. Angular cheeks that can make people of either gender swoon. A man that does not fit what one would think of when they utter the word "scientist." Yet here he was, going through old digitized archives with the laptop he had brought, the sound of his fingers hitting the keyboard filling the otherwise silent miniature lab.

And finally the last woman. Their superior. The one in charge of the experiment they were heading. Extremely pale skin with a long platinum blonde hair tucked beneath her lab coat. Cold and calculating, her reputation is one most people fear, as she is known to be less than pleasing to be around, with only a handful few that would say otherwise. A sleek pair of eyeglasses shielded her pure cyan eyes, though this time they were atop her forehead, as she had her one eye looking through a microscope. She continued looking, until she backed away to write her findings on her notebook, her glasses falling back on her nose.

As she meticulously dotted down her findings, a shift occurred. One that neither her colleagues took notice of, she looked up from her notebook, blinking as reaffirming the shift. She collected herself, before closing her notebook and tidying up her workspace.

"It seems I have a family emergency I have to attend to." She announced, seeing the man glance at her from where he sat, while also hearing the other woman almost squeak at the sudden happening.

"Immediately?" the man asked with genuine concern.

"It appears so, Dr. Kendrick. Can the both of you handle my projects?" she asked as she stood up, holding her bag in her hand.

"Ye-yes we can, Dr. Ollivar!" the mousy woman almost stammered out, straightening her coat.

"Are you sure, Dr. Felix? I can make it so I do not-"

"Yes, Dr. Ollivar. You can count on us!" came a more determined reply.

"How long will you be gone, Dr. Ollivar?" the man asked.

The blonde woman took out her phone, scanning it before addressing her colleagues again. "I will try and make it back within a week, but I cannot guarantee that it will last longer."

The man then stood up, nodding to both his superior and the mousy woman. "Then you can trust us with this project, Dr. Ollivar."

"Thank you, Michael. Tifanny." She addressed them with their first names, indicating the two as one of the few that are in fact comfortable within her demanding and intimidating presence. "I will see you all soon."

She left the lab, walking straight to the elevator. Yet instead of pressing the Ground Floor, she instead pressed the highest floor, and ascended the building her lab was residing in. The trip to the top was silent, with only the bells every time the elevator stopped, with the office workers of the building nervously greeting her. When her journey finally reached its end, the elevator opened to the sight of a clean and sleek corridor, leading to a single doorway at the end.

She walked out and towards the door, noticing the secretary's desk outside it, yet without the secretary herself. She hummed her curiosity but otherwise did not break her stride. Upon reaching the door, she gave two knocks before entering herself.

Inside was a magnanimous office, one almost encompassing the entire floor. Yet despite that, it was sparse. With only the windows to one side, and entire bookrack on another, and the desk of the person who acted as the CEO of the company.

A sharply dressed woman with her black hair tied in a bun turned to face her, carrying an electronic notebook in her hands. "Dr. Irene Ollivar?" surprise was audible in her voice.

The Scientist kept walking towards the desk. "I wished to see the CEO." She announced confidently.

The Secretary shifted her attention nervously from the scientist and the man who sat at the desk. "Uh, I'm sorry, but Mr. Charles' schedule is packed right now. I can prepare some ti-"

"It's fine, Anetta." The CEO said from his desk, his voice a deep baritone. The man looked like what one would expect when they see a corporate head, though his attire had a deep shade of purple.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sir." The Secretary apologized, bowing before the CEO.

"And stop apologizing." He said to her in a more lighthearted tone. "Go get your lunch before it's too late."

"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir." The Secretary bowed again before making to leave the office. She gave a respectful bow to the Scientist on her way, who returned with a nod of acknowledgement.

The Scientist reach the desk, sitting on one of the free chairs in front of the CEO's desk. The sharp dressed man brought his hands together, fingers interlocked with one another as he laid his chin on it. His purple eyes meeting the Scientist's bright cyan. After a full minute of silence, she reached for her glasses, taking them off as she shook her hair out of her lab coat. When she resettled, gone was the cold, serious and intimidating air of the Scientist. And in its place was a bright smile that could shine an entire room.

"Hello brother." She greeted the CEO with a welcoming smile.

"You're here early, Io." He replied, greeting her with a curt nod.

"Of course." She responded back, tilting her head slightly. "I'm always early."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Gilgamesh is someone i truly have difficulty in writing. and so to write what is essentially an entire chapter from his PoV was an insane idea, especially since i didn't mean to do so. so for that, i apologize if he seems out of character in one way or another.

but, onward! the first Servant has fallen! and it came with a price that those who felled him have trouble paying.

also, i'm glad to announce that i finally have the entirety of this story plotted out all the way to the ending. changes will happen, but i at least know there is an ending.

if i'm not too crazy, we'll probably end around the mid 20s.

hope ya'll had a blast reading this one! R&R if you don't mind, especially if you enjoyed it!

see you all next time!


	10. The Aftermath

_**The Aftermath**_

Purple eyes lit up as they scrutinized the pale woman sitting across the desk from where he sat, her knee over the other with her glasses held in her hand as they lay over her lap. She smiled at him with a smile that can come across rather creepily with the way she tilted her head to one side. The purple eyed man kept staring at her, until he eventually sighed, leaning back into his reclined leather seat. He shook his head, allowing his glowing purple eyes to dim back into their more mundane and accepted form. He pulled his chair closer into his desk, making the both of them ever so closer.

"So…" he tapped his fingers on the table awkwardly. "How's your research?"

"Oh." Io straightened herself and tidied her hair, placing her glasses back on her face. "It is going splendidly well, Mr. Charles." Her tone had shifted back to the cold neutral voice of Dr. Ollivar.

"You don't have to do that, Io." He said, holding his hand to dissuade the pale woman.

She took off her glasses as her smile returned. "But it's fun, brother." She answered genuinely.

He let out an exasperated sigh, planting his forehead in his hand. "I bet our counterparts don't have to deal with this."

"I bet they do~!" she said in a singsong tune.

"Do you have any news on the whereabouts of our brothers?" he asked, trying to move the conversation forward.

She tilted her head and looked up, placing a finger on her chin in exaggerated thought. "Last I heard, Ezalor was still in the Vatican. And Nessaj was somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean."

He looked to his watch. 12:16pm. He sighed as he turned his attention back on her. "They sure are taking their sweet time. _Especially_ when it was one of them who issued this emergency gathering of sorts."

"Do you have an inkling as to what this might involve?" Io asked, leaning herself on the desk.

The purple clad man folded his arms on his chest, eyes closed and head drooped as he contemplated the question that she had asked him. A full minute of silence elapsed as various possibilities and incidents that had, is, and will occur flashing through his mind. In particular in regards to this particular world that they resided in. When he finally opened his eyes, Io could see the purple orbs glowing brighter than before, as Darchrow tapped into his Fundamental nature. Careful as he was, as to not shatter the mortal shells they were all in.

"The only significant event that is transpiring right now, that is often ripe with problems across all realities and universes, is the supposed war between magi that is happening in Japan at this exact moment." He said as the glow of his eyes dimmed.

"Ah." Io responded with a nod of understanding. "That does seem the likeliest of possibilities. And you know what they say; _it's ripe for the madness._ "

A bemused expression formed on Darchrow's face. "That's not a saying."

"It's not?" the pale woman tilted her head, bearing what could be described as a confused pout.

"Not even close." He sighed again. It truly was difficult, dealing with his sister whenever she was not "acting". He was half tempted to address her as the scientist, but thought better than wasting his time on such nonsense.

A series of knocks coming from the door to his office paused the exchange between the two, with Darchrow muttering a silent thank you of relief to whomever it was that knocked. Though considering the last two brothers and their disposition, he could make an educated guess on who it was. Without waiting for some kind of response, the double doors opened and basked the room in a light of pure white akin to some kind of divine presence. The corridor that led to one of the building's elevator was no longer there, instead they could only see an endless expanse of white. A pure void that signaled the entrance of one of their kind. A few seconds pass by as both of them waited, until finally a figure emerged. One that wore a distinct white cassock akin to those of the Roman Pontiff. His long sleeves were highlighted with streaks of yellow and blue. He carried the bible on one hand and a walking stick on the other as he marched inside the room with a limp, the double doors closing behind him.

He flashed them a genuine smile, his old and wrinkly face bearing his white receding hair atop his head. A groomed grey bear helped give him a grandfatherly look. "Ah, Io. Darchrow. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You sure took your time, Ezalor." Io responded with a smirk and a raised brow.

The supposed cleric chuckled as he reached the desk, taking the chair beside the woman. "Well, you two do have the advantage of working under the same building." He said with a short laugh. "Neither myself nor Nessaj have such qualities in this life."

"Maybe you should consider moving, brother." Darchrow suggested from across the desk.

The elderly looking man shrugged as he stroked his beard. "I've thought about it, but it's good to have the Pope in sight."

"I'm sure it gets boring after a couple of centuries, no?" the purple clad man asked back.

Ezalor responded with an amused chuckle. "We're Fundamentals, brother. We're supposed to be just observing."

"Probably not for long if Nessaj has anything to say about it." Io added, causing the cleric to turn to her with curiosity and confusion.

"Do you know the reason as to why he brought us?" he asked.

"Just an educated guess." Darchrow replied before Io could utter a word, earning a huff from the woman.

"Well then I hope we don't have to go overboard in our influences." Ezalor said, leaning closer on the desk. "You all know that our existences aren't well liked by the forces of these worlds."

The other Fundamentals nodded, understanding the situation they're in. "Still… it must be quite the predicament if it ever comes to it, yeah?" Io appended.

"And it seems he has arrived." The words of the youngest Fundamental caused both Darchrow and Io to scrutinize him, seeing the cleric focused intently on whatever it was he could see through the window.

The two then faced themselves towards the transparent barrier, seeing a helicopter approaching the building in the distance. Most people would not be able to tell who it was that were inside, but the Fundamentals could sense their own, and the presence of the eldest sibling was palpable like an enveloping plague. A presence that most of the mundane would be suffocated by with how much of it could blanket them.

The helicopter disappeared from their view as it crested over the building, the billowing of the helicopter blades audible from the office on the highest floor. Soon the billows died down, allowing them to hear; no, _feel_ the footsteps of the eldest sibling walking through the stairs from the rooftop to the floor they were on. The steps became heavier, more forceful as it got nearer and nearer. Nearer, until finally they stopped, just outside the door. And with a click, it opened.

Enter a tall, imposing man that radiated a heavy aura that could intimidate those that were weak willed. Dressed in red military fatigues with black and grey highlights beneath heavy black body armor, his footsteps echoed even louder in the otherwise sparse office as he approached the desk. A full face helmet covered his head; a helmet that would not be out of place for a special operative under a more covert operation; it further gave him a more horrifying stature, one that made him inhuman if he were ever one.

He did not take a seat, for there were none that were free, as he stood beside the desk as he peered through his siblings. The other three looked up to meet his gaze. The visor where his eyes would be glow a constant deep orange. Of all the siblings, the eldest was one who cannot fully conceal his nature, despite fully embracing his mortal shell.

" **Brothers. Sister.** " He greeted them with a nod, and was returned in kind. The way his voice filled the room with its weight furthered proved the difficulty his mortal shell was dealing with his existence. " **There is a development that we cannot ignore.** "

He continued when they kept staring at him in silence. " **You all may know of the ongoing ritual that is occurring within Fuyuki right now. The supposed "Holy Grail War" they have come to call. I, or at least a form of myself, had managed to be summoned as a Servant in said ritual.** "

The eyes of Io and Ezalor widened, seemingly surprised by the news. "In what form, brother?" Ezalor asked as he leaned in closer.

" **The one that is most known across the universes.** " The eldest sibling replied, addressing the youngest sibling. " **The Pale Rider.** "

"Ah, of course. The one that is likely to be the Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Darchrow commented with a nod, his fingers intertwined as he laid his chin on them.

"So I'm assuming there is some sort of anomaly within the ritual?" Io spoke up from her seat, leaning back into it. "It wouldn't be the first anomaly to occur, so what makes this one different than the other realities?"

Nessaj did not respond immediately, instead he took his time to match his sister's stare with his own. His glare would shatter those of weak mind, but his sister could return it with her own brand of mirth. " **Because the Oracle has also been summoned.** "

The air of the room dropped as a being whose notoriety was known across every single one of their counterparts. A look of dread was apparent on Ezalor's face, as memories of the Oracle's actions from his counterpart resurged in his mind. Darchrow scowled at the name, his purple eyes glowing ever briefly before he contained them once more. And the joyful mirth on Io's face disappeared as she took in the gravity of the situation.

Yes. This truly was not a situation they could ignore.

"So it seems those heroes are the ones summoned in the ritual then, brother?" Io asked again, her voice returning to the neutral tone of the scientist.

" **Yes.** " He replied, leaning on closer as he planted his gloved hand on the desk. " **The heroes that were summoned are; the Phantom Assassin; the Windranger; the Rogue Knight; The Phantom Lancer; and the Bounty Hunter.** "

"An odd assortment of people, but the Phantom Assassin will at least oppose the Oracle." The CEO commented. "Are there any alliances among them?"

" **One between her and Lyralei's Masters, alongside my own as well. The ritual was shaping up to be a battle between opposing factions, and unfortunately the one I was in is now at a disadvantage.** "

"Any faction facing the Oracle will always be at a disadvantage." Ezalor added. "Then we must make haste if we are to deal with this situation."

" **My fleet is already approaching Japanese waters. They will provide any sort of support while I return to the battlefield.** " The eldest sibling explained to them.

A small smile reappeared on Io's face as a determined expression formed. "I think I will make way for Fuyuki, and assist the Masters. Having another Fundamental would help them tremendously."

"I will approach the Vampire. He has a reputation of meddling with affairs across the multitude of universes, and see if he is responsible." Ezalor added, the dread leaving his face as he stroked his beard once more.

"Well, looks like all the grounds are covered, then I will stay here unless my presence is needed for dire situations." Darchrow conceded, but he halted his thoughts when he noticed Nessaj staring intently at him. "Brother?"

" **I would like to ask a favor, brothers.** " Those specific choice of words elicited a raised brow from the one sister, as both brothers looked to their eldest in attention.

"Regarding the ritual?" the purple clad sibling asked.

" **Regarding those who have made it a reality.** " He straightened himself, returning to his standing form. " **One of the individuals that were responsible in the creation of the ritual has come under my scrutiny, and his existence is an affront to our very being.** "

"One of the creators?" Darchrow closed his eyes in thought, wracking through the histories of select universes, before his eyes opened again, leaving them glowing as he readdressed his brother. "You're talking of the Russian Patriarch. He is a vile being, but we usually stay away from such affairs. Why the change, brother?"

Nessaj kept his glare on the purple clad sibling, before finally answering. " **Because the one who became his granddaughter by adoption is my Master.** "

"Ah, so this is a personal thing?" Ezalor piped in from his seat with a small but pleased smile on his face. "That's a first, brother, but not an unwelcome one."

"If that is the case, then I will do so." Darchrow said with a nod of understanding. "I will eliminate him."

" **Thank you.** " The eldest sibling replied before he turned to face the youngest. " **Ezalor.** "

"It still concerns her?" he asked.

" **Yes. I need you to purge the darkness within her.** " Nessaj further explained.

The white cleric too also nodded. "That will be done, brother. I am the _Keeper of the Light_ after all." He said with a delighted smile on his face.

"You're not asking anything from me?" the mirthful scientist asked, feeling left out from the exchange.

The helmeted figure turned his attention to the single sister among them, and shook his head. " **You helping out the Masters is help enough already, sister.** "

"Well then I guess I'll just do that then." Io said with a pout, her voice laced with a hint of disappointment.

Nessaj seemed to not notice their sister's reaction, though judging by the chuckle from next to her, Ezalor found amusement in the exchange. The eldest sibling gazed at each of his siblings one by one before addressing them as one. " **With that taken care of, then our meeting is adjourned.** " He said to them, already moving towards the door as his mind was set on the next thing to placate.

Ezalor stood up from his seat and, with a bow to his still seated siblings, left for the room as well. Io was next, though she stopped halfway when she noticed Darchrow still on his desk, one hand holding a phone to his ear while the other was busy pushing the numbers on the table.

"You're not coming?" Io asked from where she stood, body turned halfway to face him.

"I have meetings to reschedule, sister." Darchrow replied, his eyes moving to her while he kept his hands on the phone. "I'll see you in Fuyuki."

* * *

 _Fuyuki, Japan_

The morning was not easy for one Matou Sakura. She woke up to a wet pillow, immediately reminding her of the sensations she felt in her sleep. When the realization hit, she felt dread and despair, as tears streaked down her cheeks once more. She cried silently inside the guest room within the Emiya household, embracing the solitude of the early morning. Of course she knew that she could not sit in her bed the whole day. She got off and tidied the bed, and changed to her school uniform. But she stopped when she fastened her tie.

Her hand. It still bore the blood red Command Spells that marked her as a Master of the Holy Grail War.

It's not supposed to be there. It should have disappeared when she lost her Servant. She rubbed the back of her hand, trying to rid the marks off of her, yet they very much looked unblemished. She thought they were maybe remnants, yet she could still feel the power of them. She dropped to her knees and brought her makeup kit up. They were barebones for what one would expect of a high school girl, but they were enough for her. She then made to cover the Command Spells, hoping to disguise them with mundane methods as to not elicit unwanted attention from the one true magus she knew of.

Eventually she left the room and made her way to the currently occupied section of the mansion, already smelling the enticing breakfast that her Senpai had no doubt had cooked. She entered the room, and was in fact the last person inside. She saw her Senpai just placing the last of the food on the table, sitting on one side. Beside him was his guardian and their teacher, chatting excitably with the Servant that was sitting across from him. She took her spot beside him, seeing him smile at her welcomingly. She felt her heart flutter, but quashed it. It was still too early in the morning for her to deal with this.

"Did you stay up late, Sakura-chan?" the Teacher asked as she helped herself with a sizable serving of breakfast.

Both her Senpai and his Servant glanced at her, and she could tell they were concerned. "Just finishing up on some homework, Sensei."

Her answer was enough to placate the Teacher, but both the Master and Servant still eyed her with worry. She tried giving him a reassuring smile, and though he smiled back, she knew that he still had her on his mind. His Servant was another matter. It seems like nothing could get past these Heroic Spirits, who could see through even the most elaborate of lies. She at least hoped that Saber wouldn't notice the makeup covering her hand. And if she did, she hoped Saber wouldn't voice her suspicions. She was hoping for this much at least.

Breakfast proceeded without much fanfare, and soon they left for school, with Saber staying behind for once. For the most part, they walked together in silence. It wasn't until they were halfway towards the school, taking a detour through a park that she spoke up.

"Senpai…" she called out.

Shirou stopped and faced his underclassman, seeing her fidget uncomfortably. "What's wrong, Sakura?" he asked.

She hesitated underneath her gaze, but ultimately she did not back down. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, though the expression she bore; the emotion she conveyed; did not put Shirou at ease. "Rider is gone." She finally whispered.

Shirou blinked as he took in the news, before moving closer to bring the purple haired girl into a comforting hug. One that Sakura was not expecting, but one she did lean in closer to. "Then we need to talk to Tohsaka." He whispered back to her.

* * *

"Damn. There was a part of me that was hoping it wasn't the case." Rin said as she turned her gaze away from her allies, biting her thumb as she contained her stress. "Archer felt something happening at the harbor last night, she was telling me about just recently."

"The harbor? It was on the news this morning." Shirou commented, a hand on Sakura's shoulder, comforting the younger girl.

"It was just pure destruction. There was a dogfight in the skies as well. People thought we were being invaded." Rin further explained. "Archer."

A green shimmer appeared beside the twintailed Master, as the one eyed green archer faded into being. "Yes, Rin?"

"Can you feel anything now?" Rin asked as she looked up to meet Archer's eye.

"Only that Saber's over there." The ginger archer pointed to a house a good distance away from the school. The allied Masters could just barely make out the shape of Saber standing on the rooftop. "Aside from that, nothing really. Caster's probably recuperating. I would say that now's the best time to strike, but…"

"Caster has that Servant in his paws." Rin finished through gritted teeth. "A survivor of the 4th Grail War? Are you kidding me?"

"Wait, what?" Shirou spoke up, shocked at the revelation. "There's another Servant?"

"It appears so, based on the exchange." Archer clarified. "He was about to kill Caster, but fell into the False Promise that was given to him."

"Who is he, anyway?" Shirou asked, even more concerned.

"Gilgamesh." Rin answered, her knuckles whitening as she balled her hand into a fist. "The King of Heroes, and the strongest Heroic Spirit."

"And the only Servant that could face off against him was Rider." Sakura said, finally voicing her presence.

"Exactly." Archer said with a nod of approval. "And now we're short by one. We're up against one hell of a Servant, and a man who can manipulate Fate. The odds are truly against us."

"Ok, I get that we can't storm into the temple. But we still have to do something." Shirou said to the group. His eyes flashed as a thought came to him. "What about the Master of Berserker? What was her name?"

"The Einzbern?" Rin asked back. She nodded, regardless. "Archer toke note that, aside from that moment she ambushed us, she hasn't done anything yet."

"So there's a possibility, no matter how slim, of her allying with us, right?" he said rather excitably.

"Yes." Rin began nodding vigorously. "We don't know how Berserker would fare against them, but having another pair of hands isn't going to make things worse for us."

"I don't know about that." The allied Masters glanced at the single Servant with them, and their elation faltered when they saw the grimace on her face. "The Master of Berserker seemed to have it in for you, Master of Saber."

Shirou was taken aback, but before he could respond his ally spoke up. "What do you mean, Archer?"

The one eyed Servant turned her attention to her Master, and Rin was perturbed by the seriousness of her expression. "Remember that night? She referred to Shirou as "Onii-chan", while she addressed you by your given name."

"Maybe it was because she doesn't know who he was, Archer." Rin replied, trying to match her Servant's line of thinking. "She may know of me because I'm a Tohsaka, but he's a third rate magus who got pulled into the Grail War."

"Was he really, Rin?" her heart dropped as Archer narrowed her eye on her. "It's said that the Grail chooses would be Masters, right? And he was able to summon Saber just at the last moment."

"And he also had the markings on his hand before the war started." Sakura spoke up, further reinforcing Archer's point. "Remember, Senpai?"

Shirou grimaced as he tried to remember, but again his eyes blinked as memory came to him. Rin's face paled when she saw the look forming on her ally. "What does she want with me?" he finally asked.

The green archer shrugged her shoulders. "That, I do not know. Honestly, as much as I am raining down on your parade, going to her is still our best chance on living."

"So you're saying I can ask her myself?" Shirou asked the Servant, getting a nod in return.

"I'm saying all of this so you guys won't put all your hopes in one basket. To fully expect that these plans might not turn out in your best interest." Archer further explained, bringing their emotions under control.

Though the Masters will still, eventually Shirou nodded. "Right. So, if she really wants something from me, hopefully we can come to an understanding."

"And then we might have a strong ally again." Rin added, her shoulders drooping from mental exhaustion. She then looked up to meet her Servant's eye. "Archer. Can you scout out the Einzbern Mansion? And when you think it's appropriate, arrange a meeting with her."

"Will do Rin. I'll keep in touch." A gust of wind blanketed the green archer, sending her to the skies as she returned to spirit form.

The brown haired magus sighed, slowly turning to her one ally who was sitting beside their underclassman, going back to their lunches. "Sakura."

The purple haired girl flinched when her name was called, looking up at the female upperclassman. "Yes, Senpai?"

"Since Rider's gone, you should head over to the Church-"

"No."

Both seniors gave Sakura a confused and perplexed look. Rin in particular was especially flabbergasted. "What?" was all she could say back.

"I'm staying at Emiya-senpai's home." A brief blush appeared on Rin's cheeks at Sakura's declaration.

Rin's eyes narrowed on the younger girl, shifting briefly to her ally who seemed to be listening to the conversation with apt interest before she focused on Sakura again. "Sakura, the Church is a sanctuary for Masters who lost their Servants in a Grail War."

"And Rider told me that I have to stay at Emiya-senpai's home if something ever happens to him." Sakura said, glaring back at the older girl. "And I trust him. Both Rider and Emiya-senpai. I don't trust the Priest."

Shirou was now witnessing an intense clash between the two teenage girls who were staring down one another, neither seemingly wanting to back down for some reason. He sighed before he entered the conversation. "It's fine, Tohsaka. I have lots of rooms at my place. Sakura will be fine there, and I'll make sure Saber is extra vigilant."

The brown haired Master then shifted her glared on the single boy on the roof, conveying an expression as if he had committed the gravest of insults to her. But between the three, it was her that conceded her point. She was against two stubborn people, because otherwise they would be here all day. And time was increasingly becoming a valuable resource that she cannot waste in the coming days. She gave the auburn haired boy a final once over.

"I swear to God if something happens to her-"

"Nothing's going to happen to her." Shirou said with his hand raised, his brows furrowed as he too was getting annoyed at the situation.

The bell ringing signaled the end of the school lunch break, ending their brief meeting in a rather irritating note for the three students as they packed up their lunches and walked back inside.

* * *

Calm.

That was what the winds were telling her as she stood there, perched on one of the many trees within the forest that surrounded the hidden mansion. The mansion that was naked to her eye, as the very winds themselves covered every nook and cranny of the estate, giving her a complete breakdown of the very architecture, along with the few living beings inside of it. The few who seemed to be situated in far end rooms from what she could feel.

But, none of them seem to be doing any sort of hostile or aggressive activities. The two nearly identical people, who Archer assumed to be the Master of Berserker's maids, seemed to be doing their supposed duties. At that moment, was merely cleaning the room they were in. On the other side of the mansion was the Master herself, chatting with her materialized Servant. The giant of a man was just able to fit in the room, albeit it had to hunch down to not hit the ceiling. Archer also couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary in the surrounding areas, which was enough of an indication for her to proceed with the plan, as she leaped off of the tree branch and gliding across towards the front entrance of the mansion.

She triggered some kind of magical barrier; no doubt to detect the presence of intruders such as her; followed by the sudden alertness of the Master and Servant of the mansion. She did not falter, choosing to continue on walking to the massive doors. She waited just for a moment, sensing that the people inside were also waiting for her. Waiting for what she would do, since their personal space had been invaded. Being the kind of person she was, Archer acted first, knocking the massive double doors with her hand.

"Hello? Anybody there? I wish to parley!" She knew they were inside, but they didn't know that. She knocked a couple more times, just to further instigate action within the building.

She felt the massive figure disappear, leaving the Master alone as she met up with her maids. A brief exchange as the Master was ordering her maids before they separated again, this time they all moved to different areas in the mansion. The Master moved into what could be described as a study, no doubt with her Servant still in spirit form. One of the maids went to what Archer would guess as a kitchen based on what the wind's feeling. That left the last maid, moving closer to her. Archer straightened herself and tidied whatever mess there was she had on her person. Just to go the extra mile, a brief flash occurred as she was now in her own pedestrian getup; the sporty ensemble that she wore during her "date" with Rin.

With a loud click, the massive door finally opened, albeit slowly thanks to its size. The maid that was standing in front of her had an expressionless face. Red eyes that conveyed no life. Her white uniform accented with black. And a generous bosom beneath said uniform. The maid was silent as she stared at her.

Archer gave a single wave, smiling at the cold reception she got. "Hi! On behalf of my Master and her ally, I wish to speak with the Master of Berserker."

The maid continued staring at her, not even blinking once. "Follow me." The maid finally spoke, though her words were stilted, emotionless.

 _Ah._ Archer finally understood what they were. Artificial humans, or Homunculi. She kept to her thoughts as she followed the maid inside, being led to the study that the Master was in. At least, based on where she's feeling them, as the path insofar had not deviated from what she sensed before. On any other normal occasion, she would've broken the silence with her usual self, but the only reciprocator seemed to be an awkward one. She let out a drawn out disappointed sigh as she climbed the stairs behind the maid she was still following.

They eventually reached the room she was being led to, as the maid knocked to signal their arrival. " _Come in!_ " she heard the voice of the Master from inside, as the maid opened the door and brought them in.

There she was. The albino girl that served as their first adversary in this conflict. Wearing a purple dress shirt and white skirt as she sat with one knee over the other. She had a practiced smile on her face; one that one would expect from a noble. Archer wasn't one, and was never one, also never bothering to "clean up her act" when dealing with such people when she was alive, so she just walked her way towards the opposite side of the coffee table, leaving the maid behind as she stood by the door. She sat herself down and couldn't help herself letting out a drawn out breath as she made herself comfortable. When she looked at the Master, she saw a perplexed expression directed her way before the polite façade returned.

Another set of knocks filled the room before either of them could speak, as the other maid walked in carrying a tray of tea and what looked like an assortment of cookies. This other maid was almost identical to the other, with the differences being that she seemed to be able to express herself judging from the irritation she was displaying. And the blue accents on her uniform. And her less than generous bosom. Archer couldn't stop herself from chuckling as she took note of the differences between them as the maid in blue poured the cup of tea on her side of the table, before finally moving to join the other maid.

Without bothering to wait for the Master, Archer took her cup and sipped the tea, before downing the whole thing in one shot. It was hot, but that was nothing to a Servant, so she enjoyed the tea to the fullest.

"Nothing beats tea." Archer commented as she placed the cup back on the table, while the Master of Berserker was still nursing her own.

"So, Archer." Archer could hear the irritation building up in the Master. _Ah, just like old times._ "You wished to speak with me? I must say, I'm rather disappointed that it was you that came here."

"Well, to be honest, I was sent to set up a meeting between you and my Master and her ally." Archer admitted. "We're doing that now, aren't we?"

"I suppose so. But such an elaborate effort for a meeting, don't you think?" the albino girl said back to her.

The green archer shrugged. "It was either that, or a letter. And I didn't have paper and ink on hand." She leaned in closer with her elbows on her thighs. "Besides, I think I can ease the tension between us if I spoke to you directly."

"Oh?" the girl looked at her with a raised brow. "And what do you mean by that?"

Archer let the silence linger, holding her tongue as she kept her eye on the girl. She kept staring, just long enough until she noticed the patience on the Master wearing thin, before she finally spoke. "You know there is something wrong with the Holy Grail War." She could see the relief washing over the Master before Archer continued. "Whether you were hoping to summon a specific Servant and instead got someone else entirely; figured things out on your own through meticulous deduction; or Berserker himself telling you."

"And your point?" The Master asked back to her with a raised brow.

"And you are also a powerful magus in this day and age. You no doubt have been keeping tabs on the other Servants, on the other conflicts, yes?" Archer waved her fingers in the air. "Like little familiars keeping an eye on everyone. You must've seen all the conflicts that we've been a part of."

"Again, what's your point?" this time the Master was openly glaring at her.

Archer smirked. She missed mingling with nobility. "And despite all of that, you're kept to yourself. Because you don't care about all of this. All of these conflicts, they don't matter. You only care about one thing. One person. Isn't that right?"

This was still a hunch on her part, the thought she passed on to the Masters, but when she saw the flinch of the Master of Berserker, she silently rejoiced. The albino girl replaced the small cup back on the coffee table, straightening herself as she scrutinized Archer's very being with her blood red eyes.

"Berseker." A large shimmer of blue light lingered behind the sofa the Master sat in, and sure enough her Servant materialized, its armor blue without the effect of its brand of Madness Enhancement. Archer was not fazed, for she did not sense any sort of hostility from either of them. The Master was at her limit, true, but not fully wanting her dead yet. "Who is she?"

Archer looked up to meet the gaze of Berserker as it stared down at her. Berserker had to kneel in the room to fit. She smiled, remembering this knight fondly, even if it- **he** was often a sourpuss.

"The Windranger." Berserker answered. Archer chuckled, pleased that Berserker remembered her as well. "Great Defender and Sentry of the Brecyllian Forest. Blessed by the divine winds since birth. Known to annoy people with her chipper personality. And the most perceptive hero of us all."

Archer couldn't help the shit eating grin that was forming on her face. "Aw, it's so nice to hear those words from your mouth, Sven."

The Berserker sighed tiredly, shaking his head as he gazed at his Master. "Do you wish for her to leave the premises, Lady Illyasviel?"

"Not yet." The tiny girl said, still keeping a glare on the ginger Servant. "I'm going to ask you the same question, and hopefully you'll answer me properly this time. What's. Your. Point?"

What was her point, Archer began wondering herself. As much as she enjoyed toying with nobility, she realized the situation was deteriorating far too quickly that she had expected. She reigned herself as she thought of her answer, because if she went on then there would be no meeting for the Masters to look forward to.

And that would be bad.

"I guess I just wanted to be taken seriously." Archer answered with her signature smirk. And her answer was no lie. Archer had to make sure that the Master of Berserker would not just ignore her words.

"Then you have my attention." the pale girl told her. Such authority from such tiny person, she found it quite amusing. "What is it you wish to speak to me about?"

Keeping her eye on the Master, Archer then shifted her attention on the Servant behind the sofa. "Berserker, were you around whenever your Master was looking through her familiars?"

"Lady Illyasviel said it did not concern me, and I trust her, so no." the Berserker answered.

"Did you know the Chaos Knight was summoned as Rider?" she noticed the massive Servant shift uncomfortably. An understandable reaction when it came to the Fundamentals.

"I did not." He answered again.

"Were you aware of the conflicts that took place these past couple of nights?" she noticed the Master shifting her attention between them.

"Yes." He answered in affirmative. "The massive spikes of energy could be felt all the way here." Even obscured by his helmet, Archer could tell Berserker was now scrutinizing her. "Was he fighting you?"

Archer shook her head. "No. In fact, he was our ally."

Doubt. Suspicion. There were subtle shifts in Berserker's body language as he further appraised her. "Then who was he fighting?"

"Caster." She told him without pause.

"Archer." Berserker leaned in closer, his massive hand gripping the back of the sofa. " _Who_ is Caster?"

"The Oracle."

The Master of Berserker flinched when even she could feel the change in temperament of the massive Servant, his nostrils flaring like a raging bull. The sofa cracked beneath his tensing hand, grip tighter than ever. Streaks of red were appearing on his armor as his rage was struggling with himself.

"Berserker?" She called out, concerned for her Servant. She turned her gaze back to Archer. "Archer, who is this " _Oracle_ " you speak of?"

"A being who is very much capable of, and will bring this earth down a path of insanity." Archer replied with a more serious demeanor.

"That's not much." The Master protested.

"I'm giving you all that is needed." Archer responded. She gestured to Berserker with her eye. "He can further explain who he is. We all have experience with Caster after all. One way or another."

The small albino girl shifted her position so that she was now facing her Servant, looking up his hulking form. "Berserker?"

The maddened Servant had calmed down; now back to his blue hue. "Caster cannot be allowed to live, Lady Illyasviel." That was all Berserker said to her.

But that was enough, as the Einzbern Master nodded, turning to Archer for the final time. "Very well. Tomorrow, midday."

Archer clapped her hands, a smile returning to her face. "Excellent! They don't have school, so this should be great!"

She almost leaped off of her seat, startling the albino girl sitting opposite her. Archer dusted herself off and gave a short salute to the Master. "See you soon, Master of Berserker. Don't be so uptight, Sven. Maybe take quick dip, your gills must be feeling dry after all this time. Tata!"

Archer didn't need the maids to escort her out; she was gone from the mansion in seconds, her speed propelled by the winds as she left the premises. She was elated as she sailed through the trees. For once, things were working out for their favor. And hopefully, her earlier worriers would be quashed tomorrow. No doubt, the albino Master and Shirou would have things to talk about, even if he was as oblivious and dumbstruck as everyone else.

* * *

 _London_

A rhythmical hum filled the decorated room, filled to the brim with various inventions and souvenirs. Whole bookshelves stacked with many kinds of tomes and journals. The birch interior gave off a cool air, as the darkened room seemed to have an unnatural chill that seemed otherworldly. The dark brown curtains were completely shut, not even an inch of sunlight peeking through. And alone inside, sitting comfortably at his desk as he read through a journal he had acquired through his trips, was none other than the Fourth Dead Apostle Ancestor.

He was in the middle of what one would consider an extended break from his usual routines; which consisted of popping into the Department of Mineralogy, and/or seeing what the other realities had to offer to sate his curiosity. For now, the vampire was content in reading in almost complete darkness, with only a single lamp on his desk as a source of light.

Then he heard sound coming from outside his supposed office. He looked up from the journal he was reading, brows quirking as he saw the handle slowly turning before it eventually opened. He waited patiently, wondering who it was that was taking their time, opening the door inch by inch. Further confusion stained his face when he finally caught a glimpse of who it was that was taking their sweet time to enter the room. Brown hair tied in a tidy ponytail, the holy mithril gauntlet on her right hand, a cream suit with a large red ribbon to tie it all off. Yes, _The Queen_ of London's Clock Tower had entered the room and made way to his desk after she closed the door behind her.

But it was too obvious in how something was wrong with her. Even a mundane man with no contact with the moonlit world could tell. Her expressionless face as she walked in an almost robotic manner. And her eyes. As if her very soul was gone. Now he was concerned, closing the journal in his hand as he appraised this woman that sat on the other side of his desk.

"Lorelei?" he went in for the punch, yet got no response.

He was about to prod further, when he noticed the life appear back in those brown eyes. She blinked. Again. She looked around, confused, before landing her gaze onto him, glaring.

He raised his free hand. "I was not the one who did anything to you, Vice Director." He might have a reputation, but this was not his brand.

"Then why am I here, Zelretch?" she was not amused, especially being in a room with him. Just like how he had a reputation, so did she.

"I would answer you if I knew why." He answered honestly. Whether she believed him or not was another matter. "I was simply reading when you walked in like a ghost."

 _ **THUD THUD THUD**_

Both Wizard Marshals looked back to the door. Three heavy knocks. Zelretch stayed seated while the Vice Director stood up from the chair. They waited, yet there was nothing else.

"Come in." He announced, and sure enough the door opened.

Instead of the halls of the Clock Tower, they were blinded by a white void. Divine light brighter than the sun itself. If Zelretch were a lesser being, he would have no doubt crumbled. But he was not, so this was a mere inconvenience for him. In fact, there was something welcoming about the lig-

 _Oh._ It dawned on him when he finally put two and two together. Such an idea, such knowledge that was forgotten, lost in the annals of time that only a mere handful know of, and even then they only know sparingly. Thanks to his mastery of the Second Magic, he knew what this was. Not because he had experience in interacting with them, but because these beings are progenitors of many universes, and they are powerful.

The light receded as the door closed, bringing him back into his office as a cleric was now standing before them, smiling pleasantly.

"Bishop Elias?" The Vice Director seemed familiar with the cleric, but she was merely perplexed.

"Good afternoon, Vice Director Barthomeloi. Unfortunately, I am not here as a bishop." The cleric stated as she moved to take the seat next to her.

She was about to speak to him, but he raised his palm facing her, and no sound escaped her. The cleric kept his attention squarely on him while the Vice Director was pseudo indisposed. "Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I have a question to ask of you."

"Why is the Vice Director needed?" he asked in response to the cleric.

"As a witness." Replied the cleric with a disconcerting smile.

The Vice Director shook her head as if she had freed herself from whatever it was the cleric had done, but she instead eyed Zelretch. "What does he mean by that? What is he?" She was catching on quite quickly, for someone who seemed to know of this being in a more mundane theater.

Zelretch met the glare of Lorelei Barthomeloi with his own concerned gaze. "He is a Fundamental."

"Funda… mental…" her voice trailed off as she slowly turned to face the cleric, a look of horror forming on her face. It turns out the Vice Director was among those handful.

Said Fundamental merely smiled at them. "To be more precise, I am the Keeper of the Light. A pleasure to formally make your acquaintance." He said with a slight nod.

"And you have a question for me."

"That's right! I understand you all know that the Fifth Holy Grail War is commencing as we speak. And you, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, have among the most peculiar set of interests among those in the multiverse." The Fundamental ceased his exposition when the vampire raised his hand.

"Keeper. I understand your suspicion. Especially with my well deserved reputation. But I had no play in whatever is happening in Fuyuki right now." Zelretch told the cleric while also giving the Vice Director a side glance. "I assure you that for now, I have yet to tamper with this dimension."

The Vice Director was still eyeing him curiously, but the cleric scrutinized him with wide eyes. "Are you saying you had nothing to do with the ritual?"

"Well…" the vampire gave a half-ass shrug as he answered back. "Technically I _did_ have something to do with the ritual, since the three founding families created it under my supervision. But this specific thing you are asking me, no."

The Queen turned her eyes onto the cleric, seeing the Fundamental bear a blank expression as he processed the information, keeping his eyes on the vampire. A noticeable silence later, he finally spoke. "You speak of truth."

"I am." Zelretch responded with a resolute nod.

"I see." Then, the two Wizard Marshals bore witness to an event so rare across the many realities. One that only his siblings have seen in more than one occasion, individually. The Keeper of the Light, often displaying a warm smile of a sage across the multiverse. A smile so welcoming, a perfect embodiment of Light itself. A smile, that was no longer on his face, as the deepest of scowls now displayed as the true gravity of the situation was further enlightened upon him. "Then this anomaly has become one that must be rectified immediately."

Both Zelretch and the Vice Director could feel the inhuman presence that was now weighing down on them, as if they needed to be reminded that the Keeper was not human. He was not a phantasmal beast. He was no god. No, he was more than that. More powerful. More ancient.

And this piece of truth had earned a Fundamental's ire.

The Keeper wasted no more time, standing up and made his way to leave. He stopped just as he reached the door, glancing back at them, the scowl now masked by the smile he had before. "A fair warning, to you who lives in secrecies." He full turned his body so that he was now facing them, arms behind his back. "Once we descend, there will be no subtleties."

And in a bright flash of blinding light, the Keeper was gone.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew. that took longer than i expected honestly, but we got through it! honestly, with how i'm going, i might end up finishing sooner.

assuming i don't make filler chapters, so let's hope that doesn't happen.

also, a very brief cameo to hopefully further raise the stakes.

i think that's it, so without further adiue,

hope ya'll enjoyed this, and i'll see you next time!


	11. The Forgotten Child

**The Forgotten Child**

 _T + 1 Day after the Final Summon_

Red eyes peered through the room, landing on the ceiling as a certain pale girl had awoken after her first bout in the ritual. She stayed in her bed in quiet contemplation, replaying the events of the night before in her mind. She grimaced, remembering that things didn't quite go to her plan. She sat up, her blanket covering her waist below, crossing her arms over her chest. It made sense, because the Saber class is the strongest class, but her Berserker was strong. That Saber though was something else, the moment she took out that weird looking sword.

She let out a displeased sigh, before finally settling to get off the large bed she slept on. Quickly stretching herself to get off the night's ache, she made her way out of her bedroom, coming face to face with one of the homunculus maids she created.

"Leysritt, I'm going to take a bath." She said the more "gifted" of the two, walking down the corridor as the maid moved to flank behind her.

"Yes, Lady Illyasviel." Leysritt replied, her voice still very much monotone.

Their footsteps echoed in the mostly empty mansion, occupied by her and her maids (and maybe Berserker whenever he's materialized). It took a moment but they finally reached the magnanimous bathroom. She disrobed and walked in, leaving her clothes with the emotionless maid. She floated within the warm waters, once again letting the events of the previous night play out in her mind. She needed to go over her entire plan, and it would be easier if she had someone to go back and forth with. Oh, she did.

"Berserker."

A ripple appeared behind the maid, who made no visible reaction to the arrival of the Servant as he kneeled in the bathroom in order for him to fit inside. He planted his large gauntleted hand on the maid's shoulder, though he could only land his one finger and thumb behind her back, with the rest of his hand hanging.

"You wish of me, Lady Illyasviel?" his deep yet not distorted voice filled the room.

She straightened herself within the humungous tub, allowing herself to meet the eyes of her Servant. He had already healed his wounds through the night, thanks to her own reserves. "It looked like you and Saber knew each other. Tell me about her."

She noticed the way his shoulders sagged, as if he wasn't too eager on the shared past. "She was an assassin for a damned order. She told us that she left it because she desired for a more "healthy" life."

"You don't sound like you hate her." Illya noted. "Yesterday it sounded like you wanted to strangle her."

"That was the Madness Enhancement talking, Lady Illyasviel." Berserker said, though he still sighed tiredly. "She was frustrating to be around with, and an all around pain. But she'll always stick by you, always have your back. And yes, she had to cut down her own sisters, but she chose us instead of them."

The little Master grimaced. "When you said sisters…"

Her Servant shook his head. "Some sort of sisterhood of assassins."

"And what about that sword of hers? The one that hurt you?" she finally asked.

There was a silence that lingered, as if the topic they inevitably reached was a forbidden one. "That was the price for her freedom."

"What?" Illya asked back confusedly.

"That's what she told us." Berserker further explained. "It was a steep price to pay, one that eventually led to her death, but she's always said that the price for freedom was worth it."

Illya's face contorted into an uncomfortable grimace. "Do all heroes have such depressing stories?"

"My end isn't that heart wrenching, Lady Illyasviel." Illya couldn't help but chuckle.

But those specific words he used did not go unnoticed to her. She pushed the thought aside and stood up, making her way out of the bath. "I'm done." She said, taking the towel from Leysritt as Berserker dematerialized.

She left the bathroom wearing a bathrobe, her hair still damp as the maid followed behind her. Their footsteps reached all across the mansion, and soon they find their way back to her room. The other maid, Sella, was standing beside the door waiting for her. She entered with both maids now following her, and together they prepared her for the new day.

"Well, time to get started." Illya said as she sat in front of the orb, preparing it to survey the rest of the Masters as her maids left the room to continue their work. The orb flickered, and eventually an image formed. A moving real time image of the last Master.

Of her brother.

* * *

 _The open sea, its waves reaching the beautiful sandy shores of an almost deserted immaculate beach. But this beauty was not appreciated, for the sole visitors carry only a somber mood. A boat, lightly decorated along with a bed of roughly chopped wood. A female figure lay on the makeshift bed, still as night as she embraced the eternal slumber. A figure with light blue skin with constant precipitation layering over her. Obvious gills on the side of her necks, an elaborate red fin on the crown of her head. A mer-folk, just a stone's throw away from home._

 _Beside the deceased figure was a sobbing boy, draping a full body cloth over her. His skin a darker shade of blue, his eyes a distinct yellow though he did not have the crown like the figure. Instead was a wet mop of dark brown hair, constantly damp because of his mixed heritage. He wiped the tears off his face before moving to the side, picking up a lit torch and dropping it in the boat. He waited until it caught on fire, before he finally pushed it along, sending his mother into the waves, back to the home that rejected her._

 _And she saw this. Illya saw this, as she stood with her feet in the sand, watching the funeral pyre unfold. She stood behind the boy, she could tell he was Berserker. Still towering over her like she was nothing. And yet, in his heart was sadness and despair. She looked to the distancing pyre, seeing the flames bathe the boat as it roared with the last of its life. The last of her life. Her heart tugged, reminded of her own lost mother, of the darkness that's rising within her own heart. Her face contorted, cringing as the feelings surface._

" _I will destroy them, mother." She finally heard the boy speak, the young Berserker. She looked up, moving to finally see his face._

 _Both human and not, familiar and unfamiliar. Like her. "They ruined father, and left you to rot." His voice was low, but she could feel the rage within him. "They will burn."_

* * *

She was panting. Heart thundering. She clutched her chest, eyes closed as her other hand went to her forehead. She was sweating profusely. She wasn't expecting this. Didn't expect the Dream Cycle to be this potent. She tried to calm down, but it proved to be difficult. The dream brought about unpleasant memories, one that plagued her as a child. She shook her head, trying to force herself to forget the feeling.

She flinched when she felt something on her cheek. She opened her eyes, seeing her Servant materialized, his humungous finger wiping the tears off her face. She couldn't make out his face, thanks to the helmet he wore.

"Everything will be alright, Lady Illyasviel." His voice, though a soft murmur, still filled her room.

And just like that, she calmed down. No longer sweating, no longer anxious. She breathed in, letting the air escape slowly, as she looked back at her Servant with a peaceful and content smile.

"Thank you, Berserker." She said, her eyes slowly closing back as she slowly went back to sleep.

* * *

 _T + 2 Days after the Final Summon_

Illya was intrigued. She had just witnessed the short "spar" between Saber and Rider, which ended with no change to the status quo as the related Masters were apparently familiar with one another. The allied Masters brought the Makiri representative along with them, supposedly to coerce her into their alliance. With the purple haired girl no longer her concern, her attention was brought back to the dark knight that was Rider. Illya felt a shiver run down her spine as she tried to picture him, feeling the terror through her familiar.

"Looks like there's another Servant that can give Berserker a run for his money." She commented aloud, rubbing the sleeve of her shirt.

She sighed to herself, standing up and straightening her clothes. "We'll see what he's like sooner or later." She said as she made her way to leave her room.

She came back a good hour later with a filled stomach, ready to continue her surveillance. Once again, following her supposed brother seemed to be bearing her the most fruit. It seemed that he and his ally, the Tohsaka, were preparing an assault on the temple. The place where Caster has made their stay. She watched, her eyes inspecting the ensuing events meticulously. The hostility Saber displayed was astonishing, and it seemed Archer herself didn't particularly like Caster. _What?_ It looks like there was another alliance on the field as Assassin entered the scene.

Combat began almost too suddenly as Caster summoned some kind of demonic creatures that Archer fended off, keeping them at bay while Saber herself danced around Caster. That left Assassin alone with the two Masters. Though Assassin specializes in dealing with Masters, the fact that the teenagers seemed to be handling the situation quite well was a testament to Assassin's strength. Or lack there off, as they successfully pushed him back. In fact, it was obvious to her that this altercation was going in the way of the attackers, as neither Caster nor Assassin could keep up with the combined efforts of two of the strongest Classes and their reinforcing Masters.

Her red eyes returned to Caster when she noticed him floating above the temple, his remaining arm holding some kind of hammer above. And despite the disadvantageous situation he was in, he managed to hold them back, by way of a threat to the lives of the priests. He bargained his safety for theirs, and managed to send the allied Masters away.

Illya's face contorted in displeasure. This was another annoying Servant, and it seems like one that must be dealt with accordingly.

* * *

 _T + 3 Days after the Final Summon_

She wished the other Master's weren't still in school. It was proving to be a rather boring activity if all she was doing was watching them study. She groaned, almost just calling it a day, but stuck through it in the end. The allied Masters planned on bringing the Makiri representative into their fold, but she declined. Illya shook her head, knowing how irrelevant the decision would be, considering she would most likely still be around them. And the fact that the allied Masters do not consider her a threat by any stretch of the imagination.

She sighed in disappointment, shifting the crystal away as she made to leave her room. She wasn't going to get any interesting development from them at this time, so she decided to just relax. And by that, she went to take another bath.

She came back when the moon shone on the city, going back to the crystal ball she used. Unsurprising, there was nothing happening at the Emiya household. She moved through her familiars, landing at the Tohsaka, seeing her patrolling the city with her Servant. Nothing new again. Then she moved to Rider. _Wait._ Rider? Why was the Servant showing himself? Judging by the direction, it seemed he too was making his way to the temple. Yet he was announcing his presence. On purpose? Was he looking for a fight? _Right._ Of course he was, a Servant like him would embrace the Ritual, unlike the other Masters.

"Well, looks like something's going to happen tonight." She said aloud to herself, now focused solely on the Servant.

And it looked like she didn't need to wait for long, as another Servant had answered those summons. A golden trickle appeared above Rider, their stance low. They exchanged a few words before they finally confronted one another. Lancer had numbers on their side, but they were nothing to Rider's strength. Lancer would move faster, yet Rider was able to catch up. They would employ trickery, yet Rider saw through it completely. The tried distancing themselves, yet Rider was one step ahead of them. All of this further showing just how frightening a Servant like Rider was. Illya would be lying if she said she wasn't worried.

"Wait…" she noticed something from the corner of her eye, and refocused the crystal ball.

She flinched in confusion, seeing another Rider, making large strides away from the battle. Away from the temple. Was this an illusion? Where was he heading? _He's making his way towards Shinto._ She thought as the Servant crossed the red bridge. She began wondering, what was important in Shinto? The Church? _The Church!_ Illya went back to where Lancer was, seeing the confused Servant and their illusions rushing to chase after Rider. This time, their speed was truly their greatest boon.

Their second bout was even more one sided than their first battle, as Rider wasted no time in making an example of Lancer. Every move he made was to decimate the agile Servant. It was a slaughter. Lancer couldn't keep up, eventually stuck within the hands of Rider, slowly being choked out as Rider gets the last laugh.

Which is why Lancer disappearing in a flash of energy was met with a sigh of disappointment, as the battle ended rather anticlimactically. She was about to call it a night when Rider was attacked. She snapped back to the crystal ball, seeing a blond, red eyed person. No, this was a Servant. _An eight Servant?_ She thought to herself. She saw the new Servant attack Rider, who responded only with words. Who was this Servant, that Rider's response was to talk?

This Holy Grail War was getting far more complicated than she anticipated.

* * *

 _An unending deep blue. That's all she could see for miles on end. Water. The sea. This was it, this was where she was. Deep beneath the deep blue sea. She looked up, eyes widening at how deep she really was, as the light that pierced through the waters seemed to be only a fraction. She looked down, and was marveled at how close she was to the seabed. And swimming close to it, was Berserker._

 _She moved, catching up with her Servant as he swam through the deep waters like they were nothing. If she had any doubts of his true nature, they would have been quashed away at this very moment as he finally laid his feet on the sand. He continued by walking, unperturbed as if he was walking above ground, the supposed pressure of the deep sea being but nothing to him. His strides were absolute, determined, confident. She was in awe at him._

 _She turned her gaze to where Berserker was heading, her eyes landing on a sunken derelict wreck. A remnant of a story worth telling. The casualty of a tragic battle, judging by the emptiness of the rest of the surrounding area. How only this ship littered the seabed. She glanced back to Berserker, still seeing the giant of a man inching closer and closer to the derelict. She followed behind him, coasting along as they waved through sands and reefs._

 _The inevitable was abound, as Berserker had reached the port side of the sunken ship. He trailed his gauntleted hand on the ruined wood, feeling what's left of the structure and make after all these years of resting on the seabed. Then, as if he had come to a decision, crushed a plank with his grasp, pulling it off and throwing it aside. A small hole was made, and Berserker peered through it before nodding to himself. He took a step back and brought his massive blade up, and then swung at the ship. Splinters shot through the water as Berserker made a mess of the derelict as he carved his way, slowly but surely making a hole big enough for him to walk through._

 _With a large enough path made, Illya moved about to look past, and found herself breathless. There it was, resting on a shattered table, wrapped with shredded cloth, was the massive sword that Berserker had been summoned with. She glanced back at her Servant, seeing him eye up the rested blade, scrutinizing it carefully, before he brought the sword that he had in his hands, and threw it away. Sending it tumbling on the seabed. His old blade that was also a decorated sword, and he threw it away like it was trash. He made his way inside, the derelict creaking under his feet as it struggled with his weight. He reached the broken table and brought the wrapped sword up in his hands, ripping the cloth off of it. He held the sword up above him, fully appraising its grandiose make. She heard him chuckle through the water._

" _A worthy replacement." He said, the deep sea carrying his voice as if it were air as he finally placed the sword on his back._

* * *

 _T + 4 Days after the final Summon_

The dining room was immaculate. Grand and clean as the rest of the mansion. But it was sparse. Sterile. It reminded her of home, sadly enough, as she sat waiting for her meal to be delivered. She saw what goes on inside the Emiya household, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. Watching the interactions of her brother made her almost forget why she was here in the first place, yet a part of her longed for such an atmosphere. An atmosphere that was robbed of her. She balled her fists, her mind wandering to places she seldom went to. The first actual interaction she had with her supposed brother was that of aggression. She wondered if, despite that, he would show her the same warmth he showed his schoolmates. His friends.

She shook her head to rid her of the thoughts when Sella approached, carrying a tray for her meal. She placed the covered plate on the table, along with the various eating utensils one would expect from a person of her worth. She placed a crystal glass and a pitcher of cold water, filling the glass up from the small Master. With all said and done, Sella's hand went to the metal cover and pulled it off, revealing the meal she had prepared. A creamy mixture of cabbages, tomatoes and chives layering the plate. Thickly cut slices of potato and a healthy cut of fish fillet on top, drizzled with garnish.

With all set and done, she waited until Sella went back to the kitchen before speaking up. "Berserker."

The known ripple appeared beside her, as Berserker's hulking figure formed. "Yes Lady Illyasviel?"

She flashed her Servant a welcoming smile. "Join me." She said, indicating the opposite end of the table, one Leysritt was preparing.

Berserker gave the maid a passing glance before shifting his eyes towards his Master once more. "We Servants have no need for sustenance."

"I know." She replied with a simple nod. "Just humor me."

He saw the smile on the small Master's face and acquiesced. "As you wish, Lady Illyasviel." He said, making his way to the other end of the table.

Leysritt had just finished when he arrived, moving the chair aside as the furniture was useless to him, as he sat himself on the floor. His form was still too large, but it would do. Leysritt took the chair away from him as Sella reappeared, carrying Berserker's dish. A full minute before his table was fully set as Sella returned to Leysritt's side, the maids standing beside each other. Illya's own meal was still untouched, waiting for her Servant to make himself comfortable before her. Berserker gave his Master one final glance before his gauntleted hands reached for his helmet, and with substantial effort, he took off his helmet, setting it aside.

A gasp came from one of the maids when his face was revealed to them. "I apologize, Berserker. I'll go an-" Sella's apology was cut short when the Servant's hand was raised.

"It is fine, Sella." Berserker's deep voice echoed within the room. His aquatic heritage was obvious to the homunculi within the room, though Illya had already seen his face from the Dream Cycle. He picked up the fork from the table, only able to hold the utensil with his finger and thumb, and took a cut of the seafood dish. "It's no different if a human were to eat an ape."

The conflicting emotions were still visible on Sella's face, but a hand on her shoulder calmed her down. The hand of Leysritt's, gripping lightly to placate her fellow maid.

Illya could enjoy this. Just her and her Servant, with her maids standing by. It couldn't match the atmosphere within the Emiya household, but it would do. The sounds of silverware meeting with the expensive china was intermingled with small talk between Illya and Berserker. Was this what home should feel like? She hoped to find out soon.

* * *

 _T + 5 Days after the Final Summon_

There's one thing she can admire about the Tohsaka girl. And that's the fact that she takes her job as the Second Owner of Fuyuki seriously. That's how she saw it, when she witnessed Tohsaka deal with the machinations of Caster. This was more than just the Holy Grail War for her. This was causing mayhem and chaos, and she would have none of it. And for that, Illya could spare the twin tailed Master some sort of admiration. Maybe she'll actually convey them in words to the rival Master, but for now, she was content in letting the feeling stay within her.

When she was certain the Tohsaka girl was not going to see anymore action, Illya explored the city through her familiars. Looking for anything else that caught her interest. Luckily for her, she found just the thing. In the form of the ashen knight that was now walking up the stairs to the temple. Rider. She chuckled, already preparing herself for another worthy exchange that would befit of the Servant that could give Berserker an actual challenge.

When Rider reached the temple gates, what awaited him was not Caster or Assassin, but the mysterious eight Servant. Illya was confused at the development, even more so when she heard the disappointment coming off of Rider before the two Servants engaged each other. And what a spectacle it was. Golden streaks of light shot out from the portals that appeared behind the eight Servant, all the while Rider and his appearing illusions dealt with them accordingly. The eight Servant was even more peculiar. The things he shot out were Noble Phantasms, yet he's throwing it away like they were cheap dirt. Who was he? Illya pinched her forehead, eyes closed as she tried to remember through her studies and research. Her eyes shot open when she pieced it together. The One who owned all the original Noble Phantasms. Gilgamesh.

But now, knowing the identity of the eight Servant was even more confusing. Why was he here? Was he in fact the survivor of the previous Grail War? And why was he part of Caster's alliance? While none of this made sense, her thoughts were put on hold when she saw the battle take the skies. Gilgamesh aboard some sort of golden aircraft, while Rider and his illusions had horses that could fly. And then the chase began. Illya was having great difficulty in following the combat, with the golden aircraft moving at the speed of thought. Rider was no slouch either, keeping up with the eight Servant. All she could see were streaks of gold and red, clashing against one another.

The clash of titans soon reached the waters of Fuyuki, the spectacle leaving the airspace of the city as the battle raged on without remorse. No doubt the mundane people would be frightened at the dogfight that is commencing above them. Explosions of Noble Phantasms coming into contact with one another, enough to desolate the atmosphere of Fuyuki. Truly, when she had prepared herself for the Holy Grail War, **this** was what she was expecting from it all. A true clash of the greatest heroes. And one of them wasn't even supposed to be part of it.

She saw Gilgamesh's aircraft stop midflight, still a great distance between him and Rider's illusions. Another golden portal appeared by his side, and this time it was the handle instead of the tip. He pulled it out with his own hands, and held up a peculiar looking Noble Phantasm. He held it like a sword, yet it didn't look like one. The red cylinders began moving, spinning in increasing speeds. Then as it reached its crescendo, it released a wave of magical energy.

And the world ripped apart.

Fear welled up within Illya as her emotions darkened at the event. "An Anti-World Noble Phantasm?!" she shouted to herself at the ensuing destruction. Such a thing, she never thought she would see. And how was Rider?

He was unfazed. _What?_ This calamity, this destruction, barely even brought out anything out of the Servant. Who was he? She knew she should've asked Berserker. These otherworldly Servants were beyond her. Rider held his arms open, his hands free yet the glowed with raging fire. And when he brought them back together, Illya was stunned. All the destruction, the annihilation, was being turned back like it was nothing. This was no Servant. No normal Servant at the very least.

And then the aircraft came crashing down.

* * *

"One down. Six to go."

Despite the intense conflict she had witnessed, she wasn't sure what she should feel with the end result of it. After their fight continued in the harbor, Caster appeared to blindside the overpowering Servant. And though they were taxed with heavy injuries, they eventually brought him down. Yet Rider didn't take it as defeat. He talked as if he was still in the fight. She shook her head in her pillow, realizing just how insane this conflict is moving in. She needed to talk about this properly. She needed to talk, period.

She sat up, brushing her blanket off of her. "Berserker."

With a ripple, her Servant appeared by her bedside, kneeling before her. "You should be asleep, Lady Illyasviel."

She smiled, ever so briefly at his concern, but it faded as something else popped into her thoughts. One that shoved her original topic out of the way. "Should I not pursue vengeance?"

It was a rough topic, especially concerning Berserker's past, but this was something that she was beginning to doubt. Her main motivation had been faltering, as she didn't know where else to go from here. Its why, though this was not what she had planned, she had asked Berserker right then and there. Hoping that someone who has experienced such a discourse in their life could offer sage advice to a girl like her.

"The Vigil Knights, the order I tore asunder, the order I reaped my vengeance upon…" his voice was a whisper, yet the room still had to bear the full weight of it. "were the ones who destroyed my father. They were bigoted betrayers."

He leveled his gaze with her red eyes, ones that were looking up to him earnestly. "I do not know what the patriarch of your clan told you, but your brother has done nothing. Do not pit the sins of the father on the son."

Another stone fell in the bowl, slowly tipping her resolve. "B-but, grandfather sai-"

"I do not care what that soulless doll thinks." Berserker pressed on, unperturbed. "For the past week, you have observed him. I _too_ have observed him. All he has done, is care for the ones he loves, and protect the ones he cherishes."

She was at a loss for words, because just like that, the bowl tipped over. She breathed in through her nostrils, as a new kind of resolve took its place. "Then let's see if we can talk to him."

* * *

 _T + 6 Days after the Final Summon_

"Looks like you got what you wanted, Lady Illyasviel." Her Servant commented , standing beside the couch as Sella retrieved the used cups.

"I feel like I'm regretting this already." Illya said, her finger and thumb messaging her forehead. "Archer was too much of a pain to handle. I don't understand how Tohsaka could take it all in stride."

"She was always like that. And she does that on purpose." Berserker said to the small Master.

"That seemed obvious. She enjoyed toying with me. But this whole ritual is thrown for a loop." Her face grimaced as she went through what Archer had conveyed to them. She looked up at Berserker with a guilty look on her face. "I'm sorry, Berserker. I shouldn't have left you out."

"Do not worry, Lady Illyasviel. We can still make use of the time we have, especially with a new alliance."

"You think they would want an alliance?" she asked her Servant.

"It's the most logical conclusion." He replied. "They lost their strongest Servant, so they came to us, in hopes of surviving this War."

"Surviving…." Illya's face contorted into discomfort, as the weight of the Holy Grail War actually set in on her. "They don't even care about winning."

"It's because of the danger Caster poses, Lady Illyasviel. They could not afford such vices with a looming threat. And now, neither can we."

"You're right. We have a new goal in mind." Illya stood up, brushing the dust off her dress. "We'll continue this tomorrow, Berserker."

"As you wish, Lady Illyasviel." He said as he returned to his astral form, leaving Illya alone with Leysritt as she went back to her room, ready to embrace the new tomorrow.

* * *

 _Present Day_

Illya would be lying if she said she wasn't feeling anxious. It seemed like the conclusion to the upcoming meeting was a foregone conclusion, yet she couldn't help herself. This was the final nail in the coffin for the Holy Grail War, and also for her. She was abandoning what she was apparently created to do, all just so she could talk to her brother. It would be too late now if she were to have second guesses, if she were to pull out for this arrangement. But the wheels are turning, the clock is spinning, and the only way to move is forward.

"Sella, Leysritt. Is everything prepare for this afternoon?" she called out as she walked the halls of her mansion.

It was Sella that appeared at her beck. "Yes, Lady Illyasviel. We have prepared for our upcoming guests."

Illya smiled, her face beaming with prepared. "Excellent. This day will no doubt go-"

 _ **BOOM**_

Illya was thrown off her feet, landing disgracefully on the floor from the explosion that shook her. Her maid screamed at her sudden danger, rushing to help her up off the ground. Right beside her Berserker appeared, looming over her. He gave her a once over before rushing to meet this sudden intruder, one that would disrupt the day she had been looking forward to. Illya followed behind him, with Sella trying to catch up to the small Master.

She stumbled on her feet when she reached the end of the hall, leading to the grand room that served as the first thing people would see if they were to enter her mansion. The entrance itself had been destroyed, bits of rubble and debris littering the room. But worst of all, was the one who was now walking inside. Hands in his pockets and dressed in black, was the eight Servant, Gilgamesh with his own red eyes trained on her.

"Berserker!" her command was followed by the mighty roar of her Servant as his blue armor shifted red, fully embracing his Madness Enhancement as he charged at the intruder.

Berserker's defensive Noble Phantasm appeared on his left arm, deflecting the golden weapons that came at him. When the distance was closed, his massive sword appeared on his left as he swung. The impact was held by the golden shields that came from the portals, shielding Gilgamesh from the maddened Servant. Then a torrent of onslaught rained down on Berserker, slowly pushing him back as weapon after weapon struck him.

" _ **VIGIL SIGNET!**_ "

Within a moment, what was once heavy artillery holding him down became mere pebbles he shrugged off, as the Noble Phantasm burst to life and created a protective layer over him. One that the many weapons were now having trouble piercing through. The unrelenting Servant caused the scowling Gilgamesh to back away as he brought forth his stronger Noble Phantasms, ones that could handle the beast that is Berserker. One that required Berserker to deflect them with the massive blade he wielded.

 _ **BOOM**_

Berserker was successfully pushed back, the ground shattering beneath his feet as Gilgamesh prepared to make an example of him. But with this distance, it allowed Berserker to unleash the blade to its full potential. He held his blade to his right sideways, blade pointed at Gilgamesh, as the three connected blades began shifting together. Sparks of energy ignited on the center blade, as the massive sword began convulsing.

 _The Symbol of Eternal Victory_

His other hand gripped the handle, reinforcing the massive blade with all his strength, as he swung the air before him.

" _ **VIGIL TRIUMPH!**_ "

The room before him shattered as a wave of destructive energy erupted from the massive sword, destroying all in its path. A good section of the mansion was now brought down to nothing, from the calamity brought by the Noble Phantasm. An in the middle of the destruction, surrounded by broken and shattered golden shields was Gilgamesh, looking almost unblemished as he inspected the wound on his hand, now drenched in blood. There was a scoff that escaped the mysterious eight Servant that sent chills down Illya's spine.

"To think there was someone that could touch my glorious form. Congratulations, Mongrel. You deserve a quick death." He said menacingly, as more portals appeared.

" **AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!** " Berserker charge again, but he stopped himself when he noticed the chains being fired upon him. He ducked. He leaped. He sidestep. Yet unfortunately, the chains caught up to him, and their grip tightened around his form, holding him from even making a single movement.

"Berserker!" Illya cried out, seeing her Servant trapped, her arm held out trying to reach him.

"Lady Illyasiviel!" she heard Sella call out to her.

Then she saw red.

Her body was flung to the side as one of Gilgamesh's weapons struck her, cutting her right arm almost cleanly off. Instinctively she clutched the dismembered arm, trying to slow the bleeding. Her hearing became muffled, but she could feel Berserker's rage at her danger. She looked back, seeing Sella running towards her, yet she could not reach her. Illya's eyes widened in horror as Sella was struck in the abdomen by Gilgamesh, causing the maid to be held in place.

"Sella!" she herself called out to the maid, trying to get herself off of the weapon.

A blur of white caught her eyes as the second of her maids appeared, brandishing a halberd just as long as she is tall. Her face bore no expression, despite the circumstances.

"Intruder." Leysritt's grip on the halberd tightened as she was about to engage the Servant.

"Leysritt, stop!" but her actions were held back by the wounded Master, and she instead shifted to a defensive stance.

Leysritt's form, unlike Sella's, was capable of facing a Servant. Unfortunately, the King of Heroes was another matter, as despite her best efforts in deflecting the weapons fired upon her, she was nothing to the strongest Heroic Spirit. A weapon pierced through her defenses, cutting her left cheek. Another scraped by her right abdomen, shredding her uniform. And finally, one pierced her left shoulder, sending her back as her struggled to hold onto the halberd.

" **AAAHHHHH!** " Berserker raged, trying to break free of the chains that held him in place as his Master was in danger.

Sella and Leysritt looked on, thoughts of failure swimming in their minds as their impending demise that would reach them.

Illya looked up in horror and despair as a golden portal appeared above Gilgamesh, a weapon trained and aimed at her. She closed her eyes, preparing herself for her death. Her one regret, was that she missed the chance to speak with her brother again.

" _Coup de Grace!_ "

Her eyes shot open as a dagger shot the weapon out of the air, landing it away from her body. She looked to Gilgamesh, seeing him turn around with a shield appearing behind him as the veiled form of Saber appeared, scythe in hand as her attack came to a halt thanks to the timely maneuver. Yet Saber's onslaught did not stop there. She backed away before blinking closer to Gilgamesh, deftly evading the weapons that were fired upon her. Her movements flowing like a dance on water. Then, just outside the destruction, Illya saw him. The auburn haired boy, rushing in with an odd looking stick in his hand, and next to him was the Tohsaka girl.

"Archer! Cover her!" the twin tailed magus ordered, followed by the barrage of green as Archer's arrows rained down on Gilgamesh.

With Gilgamesh preoccupied by the allied Servants, the two Masters rushed to her and her maids. Tohsaka leaping forward with reinforced legs while her brother used the stick to move through the air to close the distance in a second.

"Damn it! We should've left earlier!" her brother said in frustration, pulling Sella off of the weapon.

"What's done is done, Emiya-kun. At least we can provide back up." The Tohsaka girl said with a grimace as she approached her, wrapping her severed shoulder with her jacket.

"We have to do it fast. I don't think either of our Servants can handle Gilgamesh." Her brother said as he moved to help Leysritt.

Illya was just too stunned to speak, as just moments ago she was embracing for her inevitable death. Because just in the nick of time, she was saved. She didn't even feel the tears forming in her eyes as they began to pool.

"Hey hey hey! Don't cry now! We just got here!" Tohsaka said exasperatedly, as she fastened the tourniquet around the wound.

" **MASTEr of S** aber." All heads turned to the still trapped Berserker, shifting back to his blue armor as he turned his head to face the male Master. "Please. Save my Master."

"No! Berserker, don't!" Illya stood up and tried to rush to her Servant, but was held back Tohsaka, wrapping her arms around the smaller Master.

The Servant ignored the protests of his Master, still keeping his gaze on her brother. "Please. Save Lady Illyasviel."

The male Master was at a loss for words, but he gathered himself as a look of determination formed on his face. He brought his hand to his chest, the one bearing his Command Spells, and balled them into a fist.

"Saber!" the Command Spells began flaring with life as he enacted its power. "Save Illyasviel and her maids!"

Saber appeared instantly, blinking into their space as she wrapped her arms around the maids and Illya. "Hold on tight!" she said before they were all engulfed in light.

"Berserker! Please, do-" Illya's words were cut off as they all disappeared, leaving the two Masters and the still trapped Berserker.

"Archer. Get us out of here. Now." Tohsaka commanded as she rushed for the exit.

The brother gave Berserker one last forlorn look. "Give him hell." He said to the now sane Servant before rushing to join Tohsaka, as the Green Archer appeared and wrapped them both in a blanket of wind, launching them away from the mansion.

With everyone gone, Gilgamesh returned his attention at the now blue Servant, brushing the dust off of his clothes from the ones who had interfered with his fight. His original target was gone, but he still had something to deal with.

"You think you can face the likes of myself, without the Madness Enhancement boosting your stats?" he asked.

Berserker shook his head, meeting the gaze of the red eyed Servant. "I do not need the God Strength to face you!" he said as the chains became taut.

And shattered, Berserker rushing forward once more, sword and shield materialized to combat the eight Servant. The shield raised to block the weapons fired upon him, but they still struck true. His sword held with one hand, aimed to cleave his foe yet they failed to find their target. Yes, without the God Strength, he could not keep up with the likes of Gilgamesh. But he will not falter. He will not give up. And if he goes down, then he will go down fighting, knowing that his Master is safe.

His movements stopped when he felt it. The massive spear that had pierced his chest. He fell to his knees, his sword dematerializing. His shield followed, leaving him with his bare hands. He tried to stand back up, but was assaulted by the unrelenting might of Gilgamesh.

"I told you, mongrel. You deserve a quick death." The King of Heroes said, pelting Berserker until the Servant disappeared in a blast of particles.

* * *

Underneath Mount Enzou, was a cavern that stretched far and wide. Locked away from prying eyes, the maze that is the caverns have yet to see life for years, possibly decades. And yet here and now, deep within it were two Servants. Deep inside an open cavern, three kilometers in diameter. Was where the Greater Grail resided. And along with it, was the elusive Servant that was not meant to be, summoned in past Grail Wars and still lingered to this day, infecting the very Ritual itself.

And it welcomed neither Caster nor Assassin.

Assassin kept to the sides, his eyes occasionally glancing over Caster as he uttered the incantations to summon their own Avenger. A specific one Caster was thinking of. He looked back down, to the artifacts Caster had created. Some of them were given to him for use. And there were many. The Blink Dagger. Orb of Venom. Silver Edge. Daedalus. There were many within his bag of holding, and in his hand right now, was the small red scythe. The Desolater. He gripped it, as he glanced back at Caster.

A wave of energy erupted from the summoning circle before Caster, and sure enough, there he was. The one Caster he summoned as Aŋra Mainiiu roared from the Greater Grail. A being that was twice their height, torso wide and arms long. Along its body protruded many spike like appendages. But most importantly, it's like its entire body was created from these spikes, interlocked with one another as the very core of this being was often visible when in motion. Yes, this was no human, or anything similar. This was a demon.

This was Nevermore. The Shadow Fiend.

The demon breathed in the stale air of the cavern, taking it all. " _Ah, I should strike you down this very moment. But because you grant me another life, I will stay my hand, Oracle._ "

Caster smiled at his success. "Glad we can come to an accord. Assassin, come and greet our new friend."

Assassin doubted the demon considers anyone a friend, but he came along regardless, the Desolater still in his hand. He kept his eye on the new Avenger, as the demon turned back to face the swirling presence that is Aŋra Mainiiu. " _An interesting appetizer, Oracle._ "

"But a welcome one, I assure you." Caster said, with one hand at Assassin's direction. The one bearing the Command Spells. "Assassin, Avenger. I assume you both remember each other?"

" _Oh we do. Don't we, Bounty Hunter?_ " Avenger asked as he eyed the small Servant.

Assassin's knuckles became white from how tight he was gripping the artifact. "Yes. Shame we can't know more about each other."

Then, faster than their eyes could see, there was blood.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

phew, that was done.

honestly, it essentially amounted to a flashback episode. and i'm not too proud of it. but hopefully, the payoff is worth it for you guys!

hope this one was to your fancy! R&R if you don't mind!

and i'll see you all next time!


	12. The Truth Revealed

**The Truth Revealed**

"Please, Lady Illyasivel! Calm down!"

"Noooo! Berserkerrrr!"

"Lady Illyasviel! Leysriit! Get yourself looked at!"

"…but, Lady Illyasviel…"

"That's what I'm doing right now! You also got injured back there!"

"Sakura, where's the first aid kit!?"

"I'm coming Saber, I'm coming!"

Sakura didn't know what she was expecting when she waited at the Emiya household while the two made their way to the Einzbern mansion, but it all going upturned sideways was not one of them. She rushed inside the living room, carrying the first aid kit she got from the bathroom as she entered the crowded section of the house. Red had stained the otherwise pristine room, and a part of her felt sorry for her Senpai, knowing he'd be the one trying to clean up the room. She would no doubt assist him. But there were pressing matters at hand, as she landed beside a kneeling Saber, trying to calm the shoulder wound on one of the maids.

The other maid; the one with the bleeding abdomen and disheveled uniform; was busy tending to the one armed girl that was sobbing uncontrollably. The maid's hands hovering over the cut, a layer of magical energy coming from her as she healed the small Master's wound. The extent of the injury meant she couldn't do much with her magecraft, but it was enough to heal the worst of it. Sakura handed the maid a bundle of gauze and dressing, holding the rest of the small box in her hand in case the maid needed anything else.

"We need to get you looked at as well." Saber spoke up to the maid that was attending the small Master.

She shook her head. "Not until Lady Illyasviel is taken care of." She cut the rest of the small Master's dress around the wounded shoulder, allowing her more room to apply the gauze.

"Yeah well I ain't waiting." The Servant moved towards the maid, plucking the scissors from her hands and began cutting the uniform.

"You- jus- guh!" she protested but ultimately focused her attention on tending to the Master, trying to ignore Saber as she herself was tended on.

"What should I do?" Sakura spoke up, having just watched all of this unfold.

"Wait for the others. They should be here shortly." Saber said, glancing at the purple haired girl before turning back to the maid.

"Alright. I'll do that." Sakura stood herself up and walked back to the inner courtyard. She glanced at the other maid, the one who kept the emotionless expression on her face since they got here, standing to one side dutifully.

She thought it was weird, but continued walking anyway. She didn't know what life was like for them, so it probably was normal. She walked through the bright corridor, with the sunlight peering through the windows, and walked out to the courtyard. She stood in the middle, looking up at the sunny skies skies, specifically at the direction where the Einzbern mansion would be. She focused her eyes, searching for the green Servant that would be gliding through the air, and smiled when she caught the sight of them in a good distance.

It wasn't long until the small green dot became the familiar form of Archer, with both her Senpais in her arms as they coasted through the winds, eventually landing just right in front of her. Sakura had to make sure her skirt wasn't blown up from all the wind Archer brought along. Despite the fact the meeting ending prematurely, both Masters were visibly disheveled. Their clothes were dirtied and unkempt, the twin tailed girl's hair were roughed up. Things really didn't go according to plan, and that was obvious the moment Saber appeared in the living room with the small Master and her maids.

But she still asked anyway. "How'd it go?"

"It went swimmingly!" the Servant answered as the Masters were still catching their breaths. "I mean, we only lost the other strongest Servant in the Ritual, but what's the worst that can happen now?"

"Archer…" Tohsaka looked up, matching her gaze with her Servant. "don't jinx it."

The Green Archer chuckled, scratching the back of her head as she appraised her Master. Meanwhile Shirou had wordlessly made his way back inside. No doubt to get back at the mess that was inside his living room. Sakura walked right behind him, and soon the last Master/Servant pair followed just after them. When they arrived, the small Master had been tended to, sitting on one side of the table, along with her no longer sobbing (though her puffy red eyes were still quite clear to them.) The maid that tended to her was now helping Saber in tending herself.

It was the other maid; the one without her headdress and the shoulder wound; that approached her Senpai. "Shirou Emiya. Lady Illyasviel wishes to speak with you."

Before Shirou could stammer out a response, someone else beat him to it. "Leysritt, don't. Not now." Her voice was low and raspy, her throat tired from the crying.

"Okay." The short haired maid replied monotonously, returning to where she stood.

Rin walked passed them, sitting down on the opposite side of the table from the small girl as she brought her arms on top, elbows down and her face in her hands. She let out a drawn out cry of despair. "Can anything go right for us for once?" she asked to no one in particular, her voice muffled from her hands.

Shirou sat on the side between Rin and Illya, glancing at both Masters unsurely. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, yet closed it back when the words failed him. Eventually he did speak up. "Yeah, I got nothing."

Sakura sat beside him, opting to not say anything for she had nothing she could say to any of them. Really, what else could she say that would help them right now? She was the first Master to bow out of the Ritual, and judging by the lack of Berserker it seemed the Einzbern Master was the second one as well.

The sliding door shot open, surprising most of the people inside. Their eyes widened when they landed on the figure that was standing before them. "Shirou! I brought a guest…." Her initial excitement tapered off when the Teacher took notice of everyone in the room.

"Fuck." Came Rin's one and only response as she buried her face in her hands.

"What's wrong, Miss Fujimura?" the teens could hear another voice from behind their teacher, as said teacher now was looking back into the corridor.

"Oh, it looks like my ward is a bit preoccupied. I'm sorry, Miss Ollivar." Her hands were clasped together, apologizing to the other voice.

The other voice walked into view, surveying the peculiar scene with her own cyan eyes. An even more exotic foreigner compared to the Einzberns. Her pale complexion and platinum blonde hair tide in a bun stood out even amongst the homunculi. She wore what constitutes as formal attire compared to their teacher, and even wearing cooler colors with black dress pants and light blue blouse. Her hand went up to her glasses, shifting it slightly before entering the room.

"Excuse me." She said as she walked past them.

"Sorry Miss Ollivar. I didn't expect the house to be so crowded." Fujimura apologized again, following the foreigner while the teens could only look on in silence. The Servants, however, already have an inkling as to who this person was.

"Its fine, Miss Fujimura." The foreigner sat down at the one free side of the table, with their teacher moving to her side. "In fact, I expected it."

That got the teens' attention. This wasn't just some random person Fujimura met on the street, there was more to her than meets the eye. She met the eyes of each person (except Fujimura) in the room, scrutinizing her with her gaze. Illya furrowed her brows, confused at the reception from the person. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, moving closer to her Senpai. Shirou was also unsure of what to make of this, glancing to the others for reaffirmation. Rin replied with her own glare, trying to match the cold, calculating eyes of the foreigner.

"Fuji-nee, who is she?" Shirou finally spoke up to his guardian.

The teacher smacked her hand on her face exaggeratedly. "She's Dr. Irene Ollivar! World renowned scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics just last year! Goodness, you kids need to learn more about the rest of the world!"

The scientist raised her hand, preventing Fujimura from continuing. "It's alright, Miss Fujimura. I'm not here as a scientist."

"Then what are you here as?" Rin asked, suspicious of the person before her.

The scientist kept her eyes on Rin as she undid the bun on her hair, letting it fall freely. She then held her glasses, though she didn't take them off just yet. "It's true that I go by the name _Irene Ollivar_ , but across time immemorial, there is another name I'm remembered as."

The atmosphere around her changed the moment the glasses came off. So different that everyone else in the room couldn't help but flinch at the change. Gone was the no nonsense scientist that entered the mansion, and in her place, was this. A cheery looking woman with the brightest smile on her face. A juxtaposition from the scientist, it was enough to make them doubt, to question whether this was the same person or not, as logic would dictate it so yet the contrast was drastic.

"My name is Io, and I am here to help you. A pleasure to meet you all."

It was during this period that it clicked for Sakura. Her eyes widened when she realized who it really was that was sitting before them. "You're a Fundamental." Her voice was low, yet it was still audible to everyone in the room.

Looks of fear and recognition flashed in the two Masters' eyes, while Illya and Fujimura could only grimace in confusion. The color drained from Shirou's face while Rin further buried herself in her hands, whispering curses to no one in particular. The foreigner merely chuckled at the spectacle, but between these reactions, it wasn't any of them that spoke up.

"It's weird seeing you not as a ball of light." Saber commented as she finished tying off the gauze that was wrapped around Sella's stomach.

"I was _just_ about to say that." Archer said in mock annoyance.

"Hello to you too, Mortred, Lyralei." Io said, greeting the two Servants with their true names.

"Uh, what's going on?" now it was Fujimura's turn to ask the question that was in the teens' minds moment before.

"Don't worry, Miss Fujimura. All will be explained shortly." Io said, giving the teacher a reassuring glance, before turning back to the Masters. "But first, children, no more secrets."

"What do you mean?" Rin asked, sounding almost insulted.

Io gave the girl a smirk that sent shivers down her spine. "I mean what I mean, Miss Tohsaka. The time for subtlety is over."

Illya's hand balled into a fist, as she now started feeling worried, thanks to the apprehension of the other Masters. "Wh-what are you planning?" she asked.

The person hummed to herself as she leaned back into her arms, her eyes scanning the ceiling as if she was looking for an answer, before pushing herself back straight, locking her eyes with the small Master. "I think we should familiarize ourselves. Starting with you…" she pointed at Illya. "and you." She pointed at Shirou.

The boy was perplexed while the girl's eyes widened, nervous anxiety building in her. Archer chuckled at the sight. "Told ya."

"Not now, Archer." Rin said to her Servant before things could escalate.

Io waited for anyone else to speak, allowing them a chance to say anything they wanted. When she was sure that no one else would interrupt her, she nodded. She audibly breathed in through her nose, letting it out slowly before nodding again. She looked at them, her eyes peering through their souls, and to their surprise and horror, her cyan eyes started glowing a bright blue. Then, with a smile, she started.

* * *

 _Your father, Kiritsugu Emiya, was a tragic man. Every event in his life led to the husk of a man that would participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Every single notable catastrophe that one can imagine, he experienced. How his first, closest friend and eventual love interest got infected with what can be described as a vampire epidemic, his distraught led to him unable to end her life at her bequest. Through this ordeal, he ended up taking his vengeance on the one who brought this calamity; his own father._

 _After that, he was taken as an apprentice by a mercenary magus, and with his mentor's guidance, he traveled the world with her to prevent such calamities from happening ever again. To prevent magi who are too lost within their own world, that their very surroundings become a victim to their machinations. So he was taught, not just in magecraft, but in the arts of espionage, assassination and various types of weaponry. All in the name of eradicating heretical magi that could bring an end to the world as they knew it._

 _Yet even this loop was broken, when he had to once again face a demon that no mortal should face. His mentor, having eliminated a Dead Apostle/magus that was inside a flying airplane, found herself trapped inside it. And what's worse, she was now inside alone with a plane filled with ghouls that this magus had created. Deemed too much of a threat, Kiritsugu elected to bring the aircraft down with a missile launcher. His last words with his mentor was how she was like a mother to him._

 _It was because of this incident that Kiritsugu's dream of becoming a Hero of Justice, the one he had since he was child, became such a flawed concept to him. He couldn't save someone without sacrificing another. That was a conclusion that he had come to. It was also because of this incident, that the man known as Kiritsugu Emiya became known as the_ _ **Magus Killer**_ _by the Association._

 _Eventually, he was hired by the Einzberns to represent them in the coming Fourth Holy Grail War. And to also protect a homunculus that acted as the lesser grail. At first, he protested, but eventually he helped this homunculus. He taught her of the world. Of music. Of movies. Of life. And it wasn't long before this emotionless homunculus became filled with life. It wasn't long, till she became human. And it was at her request that they wedded. It was her request that he fathered her a child, so that he could have a life despite her inevitable demise._

 _That's right, Illya. This person was your mother. Irisviel was the lesser grail for the Fourth Holy Grail War, just as you are now for the Fifth._

 _Entering the Ritual, he had no intention of fulfilling the Einzbern's request, for he had a wish of his own. A world without strife. A world without suffering. A world of peace. That's what he wanted, and it was a wish that was supported by his wife and his Servant, despite how controversial his methods were. And so he entered the Ritual, using the methods he has honed over the years. Often times he came at odds with his Servant, because of her noble spirit contrasting with his underhanded tactics. It didn't help that he did not see such heroes in a good light because of his disillusionment._

 _It was through these underhanded tactics that he ended up as one of the last remaining players of the Fourth Holy Grail War. And his last obstacle was a man who was as rotten as remorseful as a human could be. It was a battle to the death with them, one that came to nothing but a stalemate, until the lesser grail erupted and engulfed them. The lesser grail came to him, brought him into some sort of pocket dimension. And showed him what his wish would be. It was not the dream he wanted, for the Grail could only realize it through the actions that he came to develop. No. The Grail would realize his dreams, by eliminating every single person in the world, but Kiritsugu and his family._

 _This was not the dream he wanted. The Grail was corrupt, that he knew, so he rejected it. In return, the being that resided within the Grail, the one corrupting it from the inside,_ _ **Aŋra Mainiiu**_ _, cursed him. His life will be filled with painful regret until his eventual demise. So, with the last of his Command Spells, he ordered his Servant to destroy the Grail. The resulting calamity is still felt to this day. Most of Shinto was in flames, and many lives were lost because of the Grail's eruption._

 _It was through this, that he found a survivor. He found you, Shirou. Buried beneath the rubble, he dug you out and saved you. His dreams may have been utterly crushed, but at least he was able to save one person in his life._

 _Following the end of the Ritual, he sought to raise you as his own. All the while he would disappear for months on end; yes you know this, you were looked after by Miss Fujimura here; just so he could save his daughter. Yes, Illya. He would head to Germany, just to try and get you out of the place that would keep you locked up for years, and he failed every single time. Because of the curse that was inflicted upon him, his body was weak, unable to fully combat the Einzbern defenses. So every time he would try and save you, he would always come back empty handed._

 _Unintentionally, he passed the dream of becoming a Hero of Justice to his son. You have a different ideology from your father, but a Hero of Justice all the same. And it wasn't long till the curse caught up to him, and he died with a sad smile on his face._

* * *

Silence reigned within the room during the time Io had told them the story. The Servants kept their mouths shut, knowing just how heavy the situation was. Sakura and Rin were both speechless, their eyes just slowly moving back and forth between Shirou and Illya. The maids stood side by side behind their Master, their eyes closed as they kept to their professional conduct. Illya couldn't shake the lump in her throat, her eyes locked onto the Fundamental as she digested the information. It was true, what Berserker had said. Things weren't as they seemed, and she was lied to her entire life. She felt tears well up in her eyes, struggling to hold herself together.

She felt arms wrap around her. She glanced to her side, seeing it was her brother that was hugging her tightly, with his own tears in his closed eyes. "I'm sorry." He said to her, as he too struggled with his emotions. "I'm sorry. Damn it, Old Man! You should've said something!" he said to the air in frustration.

Illya couldn't form a response, but her hand moved on its own, grabbing onto Shirou's arm that was around her. Then she felt another set of arms wrap around her **and** her brother. She looked up, seeing his Guardian, her face was a mess as she was openly crying for them. "Kiritsugu was always such a selfish person." She said through her own tears.

With such emotions emanating from these people, it wasn't long till the walls broke for Illya as well, her cries filling the room as a myriad of emotions coursed through all of them. Anguish. Despair. Love. Hope. She lost Berserker earlier that day, but in return, she gained a family.

It was a bittersweet scene for the other two teenagers, for a variety of reasons for the both of them. But the most pressing of all, was the fact that the Fundamental now had her eyes on them, and they knew of the inevitable. For now though, Io was content to wait until the cries stopped before she would continue. After all, Patience was a virtue the Fundamentals were familiar with.

Eventually the cries died down, leaving only sniffles coming from both Illya and Fujimura. The small girl wanted to move to Shirou's side of the table, but the adult held her in place with a soft hug, one that she wasn't all that much against with. But the attention was no longer on them.

"Shall we continue?" Io asked to the room with a bright smile, her eyes still glowing mystically. She kept her gaze on the two girls who flinched when her eyes landed on them. "Now, it's you two."

Rin pushed back from the table, a hand raised but shaking, trying to point accusingly at the Fundamental. "Yo-you… wouldn't dare." She tried to threaten her, but the shakiness of her voice didn't help her case.

"Oh I will, Rin. But, someone else wishes to speak." She gestured to the still closed sliding door, and on cue it opened.

An old, elderly man stood in the corridor, wearing white clerical clothes that were as pristine as the air Io put off. In his hands were the bible and some kind of walking stick. He had a groomed grey beard that he stroked with the hand that held the bible.

"You're late, brother." Io called out, and once again an air of trepidation fell on all their shoulders as the second Fundamental appeared.

"I had issues to take care of in London, sister." He replied, his sage-like voice endearing to his sister.

"I know you did, but you're late either way." Io replied with a bit of joyful mirth, and the both of them enjoyed a shared laugh at each other.

When he felt sufficiently amused, he turned his attention back to the room. "Pardon me, where are my manners. My name is Ezalor. And I am looking for…" his gaze landed on the purple haired girl, who shrunk from his scrutiny, moving closer to Shirou. The cleric smiled. "Sakura _Tohsaka_."

An audible gasp escaped Rin's lips, her very form frozen, stunned. Sakura returned the Fundamental's gaze, albeit hesitantly. "Y-yes?" it felt forever since she responded to such a name, felt so foreign.

The cleric kept his gaze on her, tapping his walking stick on the tatami mat. "I have promised my brother to take care of you. To cleanse the darkness that resides within you. The corruption that taints your soul. The one that eats at your very being, even at this very moment."

Both Shirou and Rin, and even Fujimura, held looks of concern at the Fundamental's words, especially in regards to Sakura's apparent wellbeing. The purple haired girl was trying to keep herself together, reminding herself that Rider saw through her, saw the _things_ inside her with but a gaze. It should be of no surprise that these other Fundamentals could do the same, looking through her like she was a disheveled book, cover so torn and pages ready to rip apart.

Sakura gave the cleric a nod, though she still held some concern. "C-can… you do that?"

Ezalor gave the girl a warm smile, one that was not uncanny like Io's. "Dear. I am the _Keeper of the Light_. Exterminating the darkness is my sole existence." He said as he moved towards her, holding his hand out for her.

Sakura looked at the cleric with hopeful eyes. Eyes that she only showed to her sister when they were but children. Eyes that she showed to her Senpai, when he showed her how much he cared for her. Eyes she showed Rider when he stood by her side, no matter the circumstances. Slowly, she brought her hand up to meet his, and was helped off the ground by the cleric.

"Mister Shirou Emiya. Are there any spare rooms we could use?" Ezalor asked.

"Yes, we have many." Shirou replied, standing up to help Sakura.

"Then we will use one. The process will not be quick." The Fundamental said, leading Sakura out of the room, leaving everyone else inside.

Shirou sat himself back down, and then turned to his ally, glaring at the girl with suspicion. The fact that Rin shifted around guiltily didn't help matters. Illya too was eyeing the Second Owner with curiosity, wondering what kind of family troubles she's be having, and if it were any similar to her and Shirou's. Io turned to the maids who had been standing quietly throughout the ordeal.

"Can you two make some drinks? I'm sure Shirou doesn't mind you using the kitchen." She asked with a soft smile.

Illya glanced behind her to her maids, nodding to them, allowing them to do something other than just stand like statues. Both maids nodded before they made their way to the kitchen. Shirou was a bit apprehensive in letting someone else beside himself and Sakura in there, but he relented anyway. With things calming back down, Io's eyes glowed once more as she readdressed the room.

* * *

 _Tokiomi Tohsaka was a contradicting man. He tried to be a good husband, a good father. But always, his pride and dignity as a magus would always win over. And this, came at the price of his youngest daughter's wellbeing._

 _The sisters, Rin and Sakura, have been gifted with amazing potential since birth. As a magus, he could do nothing but take on one of them, his oldest, as his successor. As a father, he still wished to see his youngest do well. He did not want to squander her future. So, he did what a father and a magus did. He adopted her out. Unfortunately, his first choice was also the wrong one, and he lived his entire life not knowing the error of his ways._

 _The person he offered Sakura to, was a man known as Zouken Matou. Originally hailing from Russia under the name Zolgen Makiri, the being he is now is no longer human at over 500 years old. A man who used to have noble ideals, but they were twisted, corrupted and perverted into a need to live through any means necessary and to torment those around him._

 _And so, by signing off Sakura's life as a Matou, Tokiomi condemned her. Either he was complicit, or he was ignorant. Neither paints a good picture on the man, judging by the life Sakura had to endure. Do you know what she had to endure? Do you know what type of magecraft the Matou specializes in? You know they're familiars, but do you know what kind?_

 _Crest Worms._

 _That's right, Rin. Sakura was thrown into the pits, with her young body limp as thousands of these worms slithered around her. Tormented her. Defiled her. It is, among other reasons, why my brother is with her right now. To help her. To clean her of this taint in her soul. No one blames you, you were but a child then. A child who was told to consider her own sister a stranger, for that is what a magus is, isn't that right? The burdens your father put on you two is truly baffling._

 _But the story doesn't end there. There was a man who wanted to save Sakura from such a fate. A man that, although he was shunned by other magi, was quite frankly the_ white sheep _of the family. Kariya Matou, do you remember him? Uncle Kariya? Upon finding out your father had done, he came back to the family he ran away from and, in return for her salvation, he will participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War as the Matou representative._

 _Unfortunately for everyone, Zolgen Makiri never had any intention of freeing your sister._

 _Kariya, despite the severe handicap he was in thanks to their Patriarch, had managed to become among the last surviving Masters of the Ritual. But, thanks to a deal behind their backs, his demise was already planned. Zolgen Makiri would rather see Kariya, and pretty much anyone, suffer rather than achieve victory. That's the type of person he had become._

 _But the story doesn't end there. We focused on the Matou side of the conflict. How about we touch the Tohsaka side?_

 _Your father was lax. He thought that, just because he had the strongest Servant in the Ritual, that his victory was guaranteed without question. Yet what he did not count on was his disciple. The one known as Kirei Kotomine. The one who ended up being_ your _Guardian, Rin. Kirei was a conflicted man. Raised as a son of a priest, followed the virtues of God. Yet deep down, he only wanted suffering. And you know who took notice of this feeling?_

 _Your father's Servant. And do you know who this Servant was?_

 _Gilgamesh. That's right. The surviving Servant that is under Caster's influence right now, the one who has done the most damage to you children._

 _Gilgamesh saw through the façade Kirei tried to contain, and sought to bring it out. He spoke sweet nothings to Kirei's ears, influencing and manipulating Kirei's thoughts, until eventually Kirei caved in and embrace these forbidden desires that Gilgamesh tried to bring out. And do you know what was the first thing he did? Your father gave him the Azoth Sword as a gift, and Kirei used it to stab your father in the back._

 _And in a harsh stroke of irony, he gave that sword to you._

 _And so, despite your separated lives, the Fourth Holy Grail War still brought about many lives to despair. Be it yours, Sakura's, Shirou's, or Illya's._

* * *

The silence was far more damning than before, as the subject that they glossed over was a far heavier one. Even the Servants cringed at the story. Fujimura was slack jawed, her eyes held on Rin in disbelief, while Illya looked at her in a mix of disgust and sympathy. Shirou's expression was unreadable, as it was a mixture of many more, as he tried to calm his ally down. Said ally was on the verge of breaking, her hands covering her lower face as her eyes were red from the tears that were spilling. More often than not, the truth hurt, and Rin just got the brunt of it.

Her eyes were unfocused, her thoughts still rattled, before they widened as she remembered something. "Sakura…. Sakura!"

"Tohsaka, stop! Calm down!" Shirou tried to shake Rin back to her sense, but the twin tailed magus wasn't listening, as she stood up and tried to make her way out.

"No, no! I have to talk to her!" she yelled as she tried to leave, but was stopped when a hand gripped her wrist, preventing her from moving.

"Tohsaka-san." It was her Teacher, once again showing that she was capable of being a responsible adult despite her flighty persona. "Sakura is being treated right now. You can't just barge in and disturb the process."

The girl struggled to free herself from the adult's grip, as she was pulled into a tight hug. Fujimura's hand rubbed Rin's back, trying to comfort the distressed girl. "Sshhh. It'll be ok. We'll wait outside for them to finish, alright?"

She tried to say something back, anything really, but she couldn't. There was nothing she could say, except nod as she continued to cry into the Teacher's embrace, soothing words reaching her ear as she was led out of the room, leaving Io with the other set of siblings. Especially when the Servants left the room as well, their reasons unknown to the last people inside.

Illya took this opportunity to move to her brother's side, hugging him as best as she could with the one arm she had. She settled on wrapping her arm around his, nestling into him for comfort. Shirou hugged back, his hand reaching Illya's. Sella arrived to the table, placing 7 cups and a tea kettle onto it, pouring the drink for the two and Io, who was content in staring at them.

Illya was the first to feel perturbed. "Why are you still here?"

The Fundamental gave the small girl another one of her signature smiles. "I told you. I'm here to help."

"In what way?" Shirou asked. "Don't get me wrong, we need all the help we can get, but what can you exactly do for us?"

"A myriad of things, Shirou. We Fundamentals are primordial beings from before time itself. Such dalliances are nothing to us." She said, sounding like she was boasting.

"If you, and your siblings, are capable of such things, then why now? Why have you never done anything before?" Illya asked, shooting an accusatory glare at the scientist.

Of course, such a glare from a mortal was nothing to the Fundamental, who merely smiled back serenely. She left the air hanging for a moment before finally speaking up again. "You know how your world, and its reflections across the multiverse, have some kind of entity that represents its will?"

Shirou shook his head, not knowing what the Fundamental was talking about, but Illya did, keeping the glare on Io. "Yes. You speak of Gaia?"

"And Alaya. They diverged, after all." Io added, still with her serene smile.

"And what of it? What are you getting at? Why can't you get straight to the point?" Illya asked, frustrated at this timeless being.

Still, Io did not budge despite the small girl's impatience. In fact, she leaned in closer, placing her arms on the table and her head on her interlocked hands. "There's a reason why we choose to only observe. There's a reason why we take on these mortal shells. Because, if we were to unleash our true selves, then the forces abound will retaliate."

Now things started to click with Illya, and even Shirou was able to follow the conversation. "Yes. If we presented ourselves as who we really are, then both Gaia _and_ Alaya will send their forces against us. They will send the Counter Force to _try_ and deal with us. Gaia will reawaken her Beasts, and Alaya will call on her Counter Guardians. And trust us; we will **not** be the ones to lose in such a conflict."

Io leaned herself back, her eyes closed as she faced the ceiling. When she came back, her eyes were glowing once more. "There are few times we act across the multiverse, because for the most part we are content in merely observing. Sometimes we still act out our original directives, our purpose for being. But that doesn't change the fact that sometimes there are forces that try to contradict our existence. That is why we choose to merely observe."

"And… now is different?" Shirou asked, still trying to wrap his head around these Fundamentals.

"Of course. There's a being that was expelled from his original dimension, and his presence is a threat to this universe. It sounds like an exaggeration, but all it takes is for someone, _something_ to rip apart reality, for the rest of existence to follow."

"Caster." Both teens said, now fully understanding the situation.

Io nodded in response. "My brother, the one you all know as **Rider** , tried to deal with the situation himself. Unfortunately, it did not change the fact that he entered the Ritual as a Servant, thus he existed with many limitations that prevented him to fully act out his duty. That is why he called us here."

"When you said before, that " _the time for subtlety is over_ " what do you mean by that?" Illya asked the timeless individual.

"It means we're not going to bother with secrecies." Io said matter-of-factly. "The moonlit world has made a conscious effort to not involve the mundane. That is not a luxury we can afford."

"I see." There was conflicting feelings within Illya. As a magus, such a prospect goes against her supposed ideals. But if she were honest herself, then she doesn't really care at this point. She tightened the hug she held on her brother, as if reaffirming herself. When she felt him hug back, she smiled, reassured of whatever outcome that will befall them.

* * *

Rin paced back and forth on the wooden floor, arms wrapped around herself as her body quivered uncontrollably. Whenever her mind wandered back to the hell that her sister's been through, she had to hold back her stomach from expelling her breakfast. Such horror had been happening to Sakura, and she was none the wiser.

"Tohsaka-san, it'll be alright." Her Teacher said, standing beside the glowing room where Sakura was.

Those words flew over Rin, her thoughts too preoccupied to take on Fujimura's reassurances. Growing up, she adhered to her father's teachings even after his death, yet unlike him where he ultimately sided with his magus side, Rin embraced her human side. If there were any doubts before, they would be laid to rest as she paced back and forth at the concern of her sister. One that her father adopted out of their family.

She waited, and waited, and waited, feeling like ages had passed, yet the light still shone brightly through the sliding door. Whatever it was the Fundamental was doing inside took forever, but despite her anxiety, Rin prayed for her sister. She prayed for Sakura to make it out of this alive.

Rin stopped her pacing the moment the light dimmed, her eyes locked on the still closed door. Her breath was held, stuck as a lump in her throat as she waited with bated breath. The door opened, and the first thing they saw was the cleric, looking as pristine as ever. Rin stood aside, both to allow him space to leave, and to peer past him, trying to find her sister.

And there she was, laying on a futon and body drenched in sweat. Her breathing was slow, looking like her entire body was exhausted. Eyelids barely closed, but Rin could tell that Sakura was looking at her. "To-… Tohsaka-senpai?"

Her heart was crushed hearing her call her that, especially after what she was told. She rushed to Sakura's side, hugging the laying girl as tight as she could. "Don't." she said through tears that were straining to break. "Don't. Please. I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry. Sorry." She kept apologizing, knowing that no amount could atone for what Sakura had to go through.

The girl she hugged was limp, utterly tired from whatever ordeal she had was through, but slowly she wrapped her arms around her sister. "It's alright, Nee-san."

"No it's not alright!" Rin cried out, her entire body quivering. "I let you down. I'm a horrible sister."

Sakura wanted to reassure the older girl, but there was still that feeling deep inside her. The bitter feeling from the abandonment she suffered. Still, she didn't want to say such words, so she settled with trying to hug her older sister back. Her silence was the answer, but Rin had accepted that horrifying fact, no matter how damning it was to their heritage.

Outside the room, their Teacher looked at them with a sad smile, before she turned to the cleric that was still waiting beside her. "Is Sakura alright?"

"Physically, yes. If a bit exhausted." Ezalor replied with a warm smile, but even that faded as he continued. "But her psyche is fragile at the moment. The years were not kind to her."

The frown on Fujimura's face was telling, but she did not relent. She was their teacher after all, and it was her duty to look after the wellbeing of her students. "What was it that was inside her? Crest Worms? What are they?"

Ezalor eyed the Teacher wearily, gauging her for her will, before he held his empty hand before her. A flash of white light blinded Fujimura for a second, and in his hand was the disgusting thing that ravaged Sakura. Fujimura took a step back as she got a good look at the thing. "That's horrible. Why do you still have it?"

Another flash, and the worm was gone. "The favors our brother has for us have yet to be completed. Now, we must deal with the abomination that did this to her."

"And it requires the worm?" she asked with a raised brow.

Ezalor flashed a miniscule smirk. "It will give my brother a head start." He said, turning around and leaving the teacher outside the room.

* * *

"Is it done?" Shirou asked the moment Ezalor stepped back inside the living room.

"Yes, Mister Emiya. And right now, the sisters are enjoying some lost time." The Fundamental replied, stepping aside as he made to leave.

"Uhm…" he stopped, turning around to face the small girl that had been quiet most of the time. "Can… can you do something for me?"

Shirou looked to his own sister with concern, wondering what she would want from a Fundamental. But both of the primordial beings seemed to humor her for the moment. "I assume it concerns as to what you are?" Ezalor asked.

Illya nodded, mixed feelings at these beings simply knowing everything, yet calmed that she didn't have to explain herself. "What's wrong, Illya?" Shirou asked.

She gave Shirou a grimaced glance, but it was not her that replied. "She doesn't have long to live, Shirou." Io said, causing the boy's eyes to widen in surprise. "Her homunculus body will give out soon. At best she has two years on her. That's also not taking into account her status as the Lesser Grail."

"Then you gotta do something!" Shirou all but yelled, surprising the girl, unprepared for how much he cared for her, despite only knowing who she really was earlier that day.

"We could do something." Ezalor said cryptically, stroking his beard. He glanced to Io, who stared back at him. "What do you think, sister?"

Io closed her eyes as if pondering what they should do, before she eventually shrugged, looking back to the siblings before her. "In for a penny; in for a pound."

Ezalor chuckled at the response he was given. "I knew you'd say that."

"Of course I would, brother." Io said with a bright smile. One that looked far more genuine than her previous smiles. "I'm the _Guardian Wisp_. The wellbeing of all life is my concern."

"Very well." Ezalor turned to the two teens, one showing him hopeful eyes. "We will need to wait for our last brother. He will provide us with the necessary space."

"Then once we get that space," the scientist cut in, leaning closer on the table. "I will construct a new body. An actual _human_ body not just for you, Illya, but for your maids as well."

Sella's own eyes widened at the offer, while Leysritt still kept her emotionless visage. "Wh-"

"Then when your new vessels are created, I will transfers your souls from your old bodies, to your new ones." Ezalor finished, turning around to leave.

"Wait!" he stopped again, glancing behind to see the small girl stood up with a disbelieving look on her face. "Transferring souls? That's impossible! Something like that is akin to, the Third Magic! To Heaven's Feel!"

Ezalor kept his gaze trained on the girl, before he devolved to a long hearty chuckle. "Oh, child…" the way he spoke reminded the two teenagers that he wasn't human, sending a pit down their stomachs. "What makes you think what we do is Magic?"

* * *

Within the western residences of Miyama, a Caucasian looking man stood alone underneath the impending dusk, wearing a deep dark purple suit and an even darker trench coat. He wore a bowler cap with the same shade as the coat, covering his face as his bright pink eyes. He had been waiting since the morning, but he was patient. They all were. This was one of the few things they had in common with each other, especially given the fact how different they were since before the dawn of creation itself.

He heard footsteps grow louder. Irregular footsteps, coming from someone who walked with a limp. He nodded to himself, straightening his coat as he turned to greet his brother.

"Ezalor." He said with a nod.

"Darchrow." Ezalor replied as he closed the distance.

"Do you have it?" the purple clad man asked, holding his hand out.

"That I do." Ezalor held an empty hand, and in a flash of light, a Crest Worm appeared. The cleric placed the worm on his brother's hand. "I should let you know; your assistance might be in further need later."

Darchrow nodded as he gripped the worm in his hand. "I'll be there." The cleric smiled, before leaving the area.

He waited until he was alone, sure that there was no one else around, before he crushed the worm in his hand. What was left of the worm became engulfed in a dark purple oil-like substance, as he threw it in front of him. The oil split in the air, landing on the ground in six equal amounts. Then, along with his pink eyes, the oil glowed with power. He uttered an inhuman incantation, as the oil started growing, and growing. It grew, until the oil stood just below his chest. Malleable blob like creatures. They were his lesser being. Reflections of his other selves, his counterparts across the multiverse.

"Scour the Earth, and eliminate any trace of the abomination that is Zolgen Makiri." He commanded, sending them off in separate directions, disappearing into the shadows while he alone stepped forth towards the Matou mansion.

He reached the tall iron gates, and with a single thought they bent under his will, crumpling until they were nothing but scrap. He stepped inside the grounds, and scoffed when he felt the bounded field around the house. Defensive spells shot out to him, striking his form. He did not stop his stride, shrugging off the attempts to stop him. He walked up the brick path towards the house, and the wooden door crumpled into splinters.

"Gah!" he turned to the source of the noise, seeing a teenage boy with blue wavy hair. The boy was cowering before him.

"If you wish to live, I suggest you pack up your valuables now." The boy didn't wait any longer, rushing up the stairs as he made his way to the basement.

A steel door stood in his way, its make contrasting to the otherwise normal looking western house. It too was crushed with but a thought, paving way for his entrance into the desolate landscape that is the basement of the Matou mansion. Below, center of it all, one of the people responsible for the Ritual itself, was the inhuman figure of Zolgen Makiri. His body consisted nothing but his familiars, more of the vile worms that exemplified his horrid existence.

Darchrow could sense fear emanating from the figure, who did not even try to speak up. The Fundamental was amused, the fact that the Makiri knew his place, perhaps being one of the handful that knew of their existence. Unsurprising if that were the case, the creature had live for over 500 years after all. But Darchrow was not here for pleasantries. He raised his hand, aiming it at the collection of worms. In a last attempt at defiance, the Makiri sent his vile insects at the Fundamental. Darchrow released a pulse from his hand.

Every single consciousness, every insect, every worm, cried out in pain as malefic energy course through them. With the Makiri disoriented, Darchrow continued his descent, occasionally releasing pulses to keep the Makiri from retaliating. He kept walking until he was in the middle of the congregation, the Makiri trying to distance himself from him. Darchrow held his hand up high, and just as his pink eyes started glowing, the skin on his hand started shredding. They tore apart, revealing a dark purple mass in the shape of a hand, vibrating uncontrollably. The hand closed into a fist, and a miniscule black orb appeared. Except it wasn't an orb, but a vacuum in space itself, straining to pull anything and everything into the maw of its abyss.

The collection of insects and worms known as the Makiri let out an inhuman cry, attempting to make one final act of defiance.

But the Fundamental was faster.

* * *

Throughout Fuyuki, a noticeable shift occurred. One that everyone felt. Yet to them, it was miniscule, nothing to concern themselves with, so they went on with their merry way. However, within the western residences of Miyama, the Matou mansion started crumbling. The stones, the brickwork, the trees and the grass, the very earth itself, began disintegrating. They coalesced into a singular point as the entire land imploded. All its surroundings were being consumed, swallowed by the celestial anomaly as a miniature black hole took everything and leaving nothing to bear.

But there was someone who was still around. A sniveling, teenage boy, with blue wavy hair had just left the gate, before it too was consumed by the vacuum. He landed on his knees, out of breath as he had just escaped a harrowing fate. He swallowed the lump in his throat, as he slowly turned to face the destruction. A black hole. It was a testament to whatever those beings were, that the rest of the solar system did not come along with it, as it consumed with heavy restraint.

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the black hole was gone. In its wake was but a crater, the result of its presence. And at the center of the crater, was the trench coated man. The man who had the same presence as Rider. He started making his way out, moving to leave the crater he was standing in. He walked to where the gates were, and officially left the premises. Shinji cowered from the person that had come to his view, using the one luggage he managed to pack to shield him from the being. He tried to shrink as much as he could when the being stopped just beside him.

"Congratulations, Matou-san. You no longer have to live under the scrutiny of that vile being."

Shinji didn't react, even as the being continued walking. He stayed there, crouched as small as he was, he'd make himself disappear if he could. It wouldn't even register to him until the dawn of tomorrow, that the patriarch of his clan was no more. That for all intents and purposes, that he and the girl that became his sister, were free.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

holy hell, dudes! like, i could **not** stop writing this chapter! it came far easier than the previous ones, that's for sure!

and i think it turned out well!

but, we don't need to waste time. hope ya'll enjoyed reading it, and leave a review if you can!

i'll see you all next time!


	13. The Rising Hope

**The Rising Hope**

The stars danced under the dipping sun as the day transitioned into the darker side of the earth, as the moon slowly rose in the distance. It was the perfect backdrop for the Servant that was now dancing in the middle courtyard of the Emiya mansion, her moves accentuated by the moonlit sky. A silent song played in her head, one that allowed her to move along the rhythm like a renowned ballerina. It was in fact that reason as to how she acquired this specific skill, and it was this reason that caused her to falter from the way of the assassin.

She danced, and danced, and danced until the stars themselves were an audience to her performance. Her singular performance that she played from within her heart, the resonated with her very soul across all this time. Her body breathed in an unquestionable elegance as they moved in accordance to the music that played. She passed the crescendo, and performed the most difficult of techniques that were effortlessly done. And when the song within her ended, so too did her dance.

The sound of clapping filled the courtyard. "Bravo, Saber! Bravo!"

The Servant of the Sword turned and looked up, seeing Archer perched on the roof, and sure enough she was clapping. A small smile formed on her lips, as memories of a happier occasion flooded her mind, prompting her to curtsy. The clapping got rowdier, no doubt Archer too was enjoying this minor reprieve that they had, especially in light of recent events that shook them. The clapping subsided when she got back up, with Saber jumping to the roof, joining her ally on a whim as she sat beside the ginger.

"So much baggage, huh?" Archer asked, and once again the ordeal mere moments ago began replaying.

"Quite." Saber replied, turning to face her fellow Servant. "Did you have any idea that Rin and Sakura were sisters?"

The Servant of the Bow shrugged with a clear displeased expression. "I felt something was going on between them, but not to that extent. The magi here are truly something, huh?"

"Aye to that, Archer." Saber nodded in affirmative. "I don't think the magi of our world were ever that…" her face grimaced as she tried to form the word in her mouth. " _heartless_."

"Even the tamest of magi here would still be seen as radicals back home. It's absurd." Archer stated, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. For the split second, the ginger Servant seemed a lot like her Master.

A brief silence sat between them before one of them spoke up. "What do you think of our chances?" it was Saber that voiced her thoughts.

The ginger shrugged. "Honestly, I would've thought we were done for. But now, we have the Fundamentals on our side. The _actual_ Fundamentals."

"Yeah. It's crazy, seeing it with your own eyes, don't you think?"

"Mhm" the green Servant nodded. "We've always heard about them, and saw them in passing. But to actually see them exist in another world is another matter."

"If only we could further tip the scales in our favor." Saber commented.

"Yeah, but Rin's right. Things never go right for us." Archer said, before her eye narrowed as they centered on something in the distance.

"What do you see?" Saber asked, noticing the shift in her ally. The green Archer merely pointed at what she saw, and sure enough even Saber could see.

Both Servants glanced at one another, nodding. "We best get back to our Masters." One said to the other.

* * *

The sounds coming from the kitchen filled the rest of the room, along with the television that was playing in the background, with the single adult watching it along with the purple haired girl that was weakly leaning on her. On the table, the twin tailed Master and the small albino girl sat on opposite sides, glaring at one another as the Fundamental sat to another side between them, a mile plastered on her face as she watched the two girls. The two maids came and went from the table, helping setting it up for the coming dinner as the single boy busied himself in the kitchen. It was a welcome reprieve after the turmoil of the entirety of the day they had just experienced.

The aqua eyed girl narrowed her eyes on the red eyed one. "How old were you during the last Grail War?"

The smaller girl arched a brow at the questioning. "I was eight. Why?"

Rin scoffed, shrugging her shoulders as she leaned away. "I was just wondering why a girl older than us is a small twerp."

A scowl formed on Illya's face, before it was replaced by a smile. A predatory smile that caused the taller girl to in turn frown. "Well, unlike _you, Rin_ , I know how to take care of my youth."

Rin's brow twitched, ticked off by her new ally. "Is that so? Maybe you can show me a thing or two then?"

Illya laughed haughtily, as if she was dismissing the twin tailed girl. "Please, Rin. A _woman_ doesn't share her secrets."

"Oh?" Now Rin leaned in closer again. "Big talk, coming from a small twerp."

"Alright, enough you two. Dinner's ready." Shirou said as he brought the last of the dishes, as Illya's maids moved to stand behind her. They no longer wore their uniforms, ruined as they were, and were given spare clothes that belonged to Fujimura. It was a small surprise to the other teenagers what the maids looked like beneath their headdress; Sella had tied her hair into a low ponytail, as it draped over her shoulder, while Leysritt had hers cut just above the shoulders.

"Sella, Leysritt. Don't just stand there like statues. Join us." Illya said, glancing behind her.

Sella briefly showed an indignant look before she suppressed it. "Lady Illyasviel, we can't possi-"

"Yes Lady Illyasviel." Leysritt cut her off, already sitting beside the small Master.

"Leysritt!" Sella all but yelled at her fellow maid, who seemed to be ignoring her as she herself got her own portion. Seeing the reception she got, Sella took a moment to calm herself down. "I'll call the Servants."

The sliding door opened, and in came Saber, followed by a materializing Archer. Sella, slumped her shoulders in defeat with a sigh, falling beside Illya as she joined the table.

"Ah, it's been a while since I had some of your cooking, Master of Saber." Archer said, letting out a moan as the taste melted in her mouth. "If I had any interest in men, you would've been my target from the very beginning."

Shirou choked on the food he had in his mouth, coughing it out as he slammed his chest with his fist, while both Rin and Illya went for the undignified method and spat theirs all out. Sakura's entire body tensed as if it froze suddenly, her eyes looking off into the distance. Fujimura had her mouth open, staring dumbly at the Servant while Saber merely rolled her eyes, going back to her own meal. All this time, both maids seemed to not care about what had just happened.

"What's wrong, Rin? Were they too spicy?" Archer asked her Master with a knowing smirk on her face.

"Spicy my ass." The Master muttered under her breath. "Archer, please. We're eating right now."

"Hm? Yes, I see that. Also the perfect time for small talk." Archer countered, unrelenting.

"Really, Rin? You can't even control your own Servant?" Illya spoke up, adding fuel to the fire with her own smirk.

Rin shifted the galre she aimed at Rin to Illya, raising a finger to point at the other girl. "One more word outta you, pipsqueak, and I swear-"

A series of knocks coming from in front of the estate interrupted Rin before she could finish her sentence, and surprising some of them, it was Shirou who groaned with shoulders slumped as he looked to the ceiling. "Come on, who else is coming here?" he said as he got off the floor and marched out of the room, missing out on the protests of everyone else.

He walked down the dimly lit corridor, soon reaching the door with the knocks getting louder, and louder. The knocking stopped when he reached it, as if the person on the other side realized that Shirou was there. He slid the door open. "Yes?" No more words left his mouth as his eyes landed on the shorter figure standing before him.

It was Assassin, roughed and disheveled, clutching his arm with the other while something was held in the hand of the other. The scarf that would have covered his face was undone, revealing his feline features; yellow fur and red slit eyes. Whatever he was, he was the same race as Lancer. "Evening." He greeted, his raspy voice sounding relatively alright given the circumstances. "Do you mind if we had a little chat?"

Other people would've been far more suspicious, far more defensive at the appearance of an enemy Servant. In fact, most people wouldn't have hesitated in just ending the Servant that seemed to be on the precipice of death. But Shirou was not like most people. He wouldn't just end someone's life, even if it was the wiser choice. He would help that person to the best of his abilities. That's why his response was quite the obvious one.

"No, I guess I don't mind. Come in." he said with a nod, standing aside to allow Assassin to enter.

Assassin walked in, and kept his red gaze on the Master. Assassins were known for one thing in a Grail War; the elimination of enemy Masters. The fact that all he did, as he walked in, was to nod showed that he was partly trustworthy. At least, according to Shirou. "Much obliged." Assassin said, allowing Shirou to close the door back.

He walked back to the living room, Assassin following behind him. He sighed, bracing himself for the inevitable. "Hey guys, we have a guest." He said, announcing himself as he entered the room.

Almost everyone in the room were stunned silent when Assassin appeared while Shirou went back to where he sat. The only people who didn't seemed surprised were Io and the allied Servants.

"What the hell Emiya-kun?!" Rin all but yelled, pointing at Assassin. "Why'd you bring someone from Caster's side here?!"

"I ain't by his side anymore." Assassin proclaimed, throwing whatever it was he was holding at Rin's direction.

She screamed when she realized what it was that had landed on her lap. A severed hand, blue in skin tone. And it bore an incomplete set of Command Spells. "I ain't got long left. So, if any of you wouldn't mind, having a new Servant, that'll be grand. I have a lot to offer."

"That's insane! What makes you think we can just trust you?!" Rin yelled back at the Servant, yet for some reason Sakura was still as calm as ever, if a bit tired.

"Io." She called to the Fundamental, who had been taking in the entire scene like she was watching some sort of TV show. "Can we trust Assassin?"

Rin turned back to her sister, a varied series of expressions flashing over her face while Sakura kept her eyes on the Fundamental, who replied with her own playful gaze. She smiled unnervingly. "In some ways."

Sakura frowned, but pressed on. "Is he here to kill us? Will he lead to our deaths?"

Io's smile faded ever so slightly at Sakura's more specific questions, but answered nonetheless. "No."

"Alright, that settles it then." Illya said as she stood herself up abruptly.

"Lady Illyasviel, please think this through." Sella implored from where she sat.

"I have, Sella. And if my brother trusts him, and I will as well. Even though I shouldn't." Illya said, raising her hand before the Servant.

"Wait! We're not even going to talk about it?!" Rin asked incredulously.

"We will, Tohsaka. Later." Shirou said to his ally, before nodding to Illya.

Illya closed her eyes and breathed in through her nostrils, counting up. One. Two. Three. Four. Then she exhaled. One. Two Three. Four. Then her red eyes opened again, meeting the red of Assassin's.

"―――― _I announce._ "

" _Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword._ "

" _In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer._ "

Her entire body flashed as red jagged lines appeared all over, her entire body resonating with the Command Spell that was unique to her.

" _Do so, and my fate shall be sealed by your blade._ "

Assassin kneeled before the small Master, the magical energy resonating within the room. "By my will and my dagger, I accept you as my Master, Illyasviel von Einzbern."

The energy washed over him as a familiar energy was reintroduced, though this one he welcomed far more eagerly. With the event coming to a close, Illya sat herself back down with a smug smile on her face, aimed at Rin. Assassin straightened himself, shifting to properly sit on the tatami mat, he cracked his neck as he breathed in this new chance.

"Thank the gods you exist here, Fundamental. Otherwise, I would've been screwed." Assassin said with relief.

The Fundamental did not reply, though she did flash the Servant a genuine smile. Shirou sigh with relief himself, clapping to draw everyone's attention. "Alright, I guess we'll finish dinner first before we continue our business. That sound good?"

* * *

Dinner went by without any other incident, now with the maids washing the dishes in the kitchen. Each of the Masters sat on one side of the table, with Shirou and Rin opposite each other with Sakura and Illya the same. Assassin had returned to Spirit Form, to further heal the wounds he accumulated. Archer was outside, standing at the patio as she felt the winds in the night, keeping her eye on the entire city from the Japanese mansion. Io sat on one corner of the room, wearing her glasses again as she read the text book that Fujimura taught at the school, her demeanor back to the cold and calculating Scientist. Saber sat beside Fujimura, as the both of them watched the TV.

Rin sighed, before glancing at her Teacher. "Sensei, why are you still here?"

"I'm keeping my eyes on you kids, especially what you've been saying is happening around here. It's my duty as an adult, and as your teacher!" she proclaimed proudly.

Said teacher was facing away from the table, her eyes still glued on the TV. "How very responsible of you." Rin said sarcastically, before facing the group.

"Okay, after everything going to shit in a matter of hours, we now find ourselves with a frightening ally, and a new Servant that defected from Caster. That's all well and good, but do we know what to do with all of this?" Rin started, placing her chin on her interlocked fingers.

Illya nodded, folding her arms over her chest. "Assassin, what have you brought for us?"

The new Servant materialized next to his new Master, sat a bit closer to the table. "Aside from my own lackluster skills as an Assassin-Class Servant," he brought the bag on his back, placing it next to him. "Caster gave me a lot of the Artifacts he created. Not all, but a lot."

"No way!" Saber turned to the table, moving beside Rin as the twin tailed Master was the closest to her.

"Yes way." Assassin replied neutrally as he slowly began to pull out whatever he had inside the bag of holding.

First was a lime looking orb, he placed on one corner of the table. Next was another orb, a darker faded pink with intricate patterns around it, along with a hole that went through it. Then was an extremely small dagger, blue and black and looking ceremonial. A frozen, sparkling drop of water. Blue, pulsating short pieces of braided strings. A green, elegant sword. A purple sword with a glowing orb above the handle. A horrifying looking crossbow. And lastly, a small red scythe, almost like a sickle.

"Wow, someone was busy." Rin commented, almost speechless at the display.

"Yes, Caster did many things while he locked himself in the temple." Assassin said, as he replaced his bag of holding. "All of this were the only ones he gave to me. Anything else, he kept to himself."

"What do they do?" Shirou asked, curious at each of the artifacts.

"Pick one, and we'll explain." Assassin said, gesturing to Saber as well.

"This looks interesting." Rin said as she picked up the first artifact, the lime green orb. She was startled momentarily when a ghost of a snake appeared around her hand. "What the…"

"The Orb of Venom." Saber spoke up with a glint in her eyes. "Those who have this on their person; they don't even have to _wield_ it; will find their attacks to corrode."

"Really?" she asked with interest, inspecting the orb before she moved it to her other hand. Then she held her now free hand out to Saber, aiming all fingers at the now concerned Servant. Rin smirked. "Think fast, Saber."

" _Gandr!_ "

A dark red orb appeared, and to Rin's brief surprise she noticed a green liquid drip off of the orb before it was fired at Saber. The Servant, being the strongest Servant-Class in the Ritual, materialized one of her throwing daggers in her hand before the curse could hit her, blocking it with the small blade. Then unsurprisingly, the dagger began to melt and corrode, as the curse's new effect took place. The aqua eyed Master had a dumb smile on her face as she eyed the orb like a child in a candy store.

"Jeez, Tohsaka-san, a warning next time!" the Teacher exclaimed, surprised by the sudden use of magecraft.

"I'm sorry Sensei!" Rin replied, all of a sudden feeling like she was back in school, being scolded by a teacher.

"What about this one?" Illya asked as she plucked the dagger from the table. She didn't feel anything from it, for all intents and purposes it was just a ceremonial dagger.

"The Blink Dagger." Assassin said, shifting the dagger in her hand, making sure the small Master was careful. "It will allow you to phase through existence, appearing a good distance away."

"Through walls?" Illya asked, eyes wide in wonderment.

"Through anything." He readjusted the dagger, hand on Illya's shoulder. "All you need is to think of its name."

"Think of the name. Got it." Illya tightened her one hand on the dagger, before disappearing in front of their very eyes, leaving behind motes of blue light.

"Lady Illyasviel!" Sella called out, as always concerned for the small Master.

Just as she disappeared, she appeared again, mouth wide open. "That was so cool!" she exclaimed to the room with a big grin on her face.

"Careful you don't find yourself in trouble, Master." Assassin said, as he carefully brought Illya back down to the table.

"Where were you, Illya?" Shirou asked curiously.

The small girl shrugged. "I don't know. One of your neighbor's houses."

"This looks beautiful." Sakura said, picking up the droplet delicately with her hand, careful to not break it despite feeling that it would shatter.

"An Infused Raindrop." Assassin spoke up when he made sure Illya was well situated back. "Made to protect whoever holds it from bursts of killing blows. But be warned; it can only protect the bearer from so much before it shatters."

"Oh, I guess that's perfect for me then." Sakura said, placing the droplet into her breast pocket.

"What's so special about these?" Fujimura asked, plucking the two braided strings as the goings on finally caught her attention.

"They're called Wind Laces." Saber said, and no more.

"Laces…" the Teacher pondered for a moment on that single word. "Does it mean what I think it means?"

Both Servants nodded, leading to Fujimura getting up and leaving the room, heading to the front of the Japanese mansion. The twin tailed Master looked to her ally, seeing his eyes glaze over the artifacts. "You're not getting anything, Emiya-kun?"

The auburn haired boy shook his head. "I already have an artifact. Remember?"

Rin nodded, remembering of the artifact that caused her embarrassment. "Well then, anything else you can do, Assassin?"

"Does anyone have a map of the city?" he asked, sitting patiently beside Illya.

"Hold on, I'll go get it." Shirou said as he stood up and left, searching for said item.

"Oh, I've never actually seen this with my own eyes." Saber said, intrigued as she leaned closer to Assassin from where she sat. "Does it work the same?"

"Pretty much." The feline Servant replied with a nod, placing a small tied pouch on the table.

It didn't take long for Shirou to return with a thin book/map of the country, handing it to the Servant. Assassin went through the pages, looking for the city until he stopped exactly where Fuyuki was. He laid the map on the table before he brought the pouch to his hand, the other hand going in the pouch that was now glowing a golden undertone.

 _The Infallible Greed of Justice_

Within the hand's grasp were golden dust that glowed like the ancient King's treasury, as he sprinkled it on the map.

" _Hunter's Hoard_ "

The dust dissipated as it landed on the map. Nothing happened for a second, then the map started glowing, as golden dots appeared on it, in various parts of Fuyuki.

"You sly bastard." Saber said, peering through the map with an amused smirk on her face.

"Wait, is this what I think it is?" Illya asked as she kept her scrutiny on the map.

Her new Servant nodded. "I can keep track on anyone I want, as long as I've seen them before." His hand went over to where the temple was, and touched the single golden dot that was there. The dot then floated above the map, becoming a small circle as it began displaying a live image of the Golden Servant. Of Gilgamesh. Illya scowled at the Servant that killed Berserker. The image disappeared when Assassin's finger moved, moving towards somewhere near the temple to where two dots were. The image of Caster appeared, floating alongside a well-dressed looking man with slick black hair and red dress suit.

"Wait, is that supposed to be another Servant?" Shirou asked, furrowing his brows as he and the others inspected the new figure.

"Yes. Caster had just summoned Avenger earlier that day." Assassin explained.

A slam on the table startled the teens before they could respond, as the sudden inclusion of the Fundamental reminded them of her appearance. She stood, leaning beside Assassin, eyeing the Servant with narrowed eyes. She still had her glasses on.

"Can you repeat that, _Gondar_?" she asked, uttering Assassin's true name as her eyes glowed behind her glasses. "He summoned _Avenger_? As in a _new_ one?"

Assassin hesitantly looked up to match the gaze of the Fundamental, for once his stance wavering ever since her entered the house. Truly, facing a Fundamental was another league entirely for these people, whether they're humans or Heroic Spirits. "Yes, he did."

"And what of _Aŋra Mainiiu_?" Io further interrogated, keeping Assassin under her scrutiny.

The Fundamental could hear Assassin swallow. "Used as an appetizer for Avenger."

"Assassin." She kept her cold, blue eyes on the feline Servant. The teenagers watching this were debating with themselves on whether this act or the actual person was more frightening. " _Who_ did Oracle summon?"

"The Shadow Fiend."

A shiver ran down the spines of the teenagers, as the uttered name brought about an ominous feeling in the pit of their stomachs. That was a name the brought fear into the hearts of many. A name that wrought terror into the mundane folk. This was not a name given to mere mortals. This was a name that even brought a scowl onto Io's otherwise perfect face.

"Of course, the demon serial killer." Io said as she straightened herself, before moving back so she could have the Masters under a single gaze. "This demon, children, is one who delights on the souls of many. The more interesting the person, more renowned, more talented, the better. And the more souls he consumes, the stronger he becomes."

"That explains what I've been hearing from my grandfather's men." Fujimura said as she returned with a disgruntled look on her face. "There's been sudden murders that popped up, and they're staying clear from it."

"A wise decision." Io said with a nod. "Most of these would probably be reported tomorrow morning, but the murders will not stop. The Fiend has an insatiable appetite."

"Why is the Overseer not doing anything?!" came Illya's sudden burst of anger.

Rin was wondering that too, until she remembered what the Fundamental had told her. And what she knew of Kirei over the years led to her coming to this conclusion. "It's because he's enjoying this." Her voice was low, but there was a venom behind it.

Assassin scoffed, folding his arms. "He seems like he's the same ilk as Caster from what I've seen of him."

"Then what do we do?" Shirou asked, scowling at the situation.

"Nothing right now, children." Io declared, still keeping her eyes on them. "You all need your rest after what happened earlier. We will deal with this tomorrow."

"But the night is the only time we can act!" Rin protested, trying not to waver under the Fundamental's gaze.

"I've already told you, Miss Tohsaka, that it's no longer the time for subtleties." Io's icy gaze narrowed as she glared back at the girl.

"She's right, kids." Their Teacher said, not fully understanding the laws and rules the magi followed. "None of you are of the right mind and body right now to be heading out to who knows what, especially with the dangers that lurk about."

"But-"

"Nee-san." Rin's protests died in her mouth, turning to face the purple haired girl that looked worriedly at them. "We'll continue tomorrow."

* * *

 _ **THWACK**_

Shirou was pushed away, his hand almost dropping the shinai he held before he braced himself, falling into a stance again as he focused his eyes on his sparring partner. Saber, dressed more casually as usual in this time of night, held her shinai like a fencer would a rapier. The smirk was ever present on her face, as she goaded him once more. He braced himself before he rushed in, trying to break through her defenses, but there was nothing that could get by her eye as she easily parried his attacks. And this wasn't even her all, that much he could feel. The closest he ever got was merely piercing her loose clothing, and even that wasn't much.

 _An opening!_ He saw it, moving to strike-

He fell on his back, his shinai falling behind him as he was once again repelled by his Servant. He laid his head on the wooden floor, exhausted from their latest sparring session that's been happening for the last week and a half since the beginning of the Holy Grail War. It's why he can say with confidence, despite the unflattering situation he was in, that he was improving.

He glanced up, seeing his Servant twirl the shinai while she waited for him to get back up. She had a pleased smirk on her face. "Again?"

"I think I'll lay down for a bit, Saber." He said through ragged breaths, staying where he was as his eyes closed. From the wooden floor, though his heart was pounding relentlessly, he started feeling footsteps. The vibrations as each step landed on the varnished planks, creaking ever so slightly that it could barely reach his ears. But there was more to it. He could feel like, like the steps were controlled, deliberate. He looked up, curiosity finally getting to him, and smiled.

Saber was dancing, her eyes closed as she maneuvered around the room with silent grace, the shinai still in her hands acting as a surrogate partner. Her elegant movements making it seem as if she was gliding through the room like a nymph on water. Her humming filled the otherwise quiet room, a rhythmic tune that he would bob his head if he weren't so exhausted. It was entrancing, he couldn't help but watch the spectacle before him, like a once in a lifetime show that he didn't want to miss. So entranced he was, that he didn't notice the figure that approached him from behind, even more of a ghost than the Servant that danced in the room.

The figure crouched behind him, and whispered. "Are you prepared for the coming conflict?"

Shirou swung his head back, startled as he met the person that snuck up on him. He sighed, seeing that it was none other than Io, _without_ her glasses. "As ready as I can be."

The Fundamental tilted her head in a cutesy manner, and once again Shirou wondered if it was a good idea having such a bipolar ally. "You don't sound sure of yourself.

His shoulders slumped, as much as they can while he laid there on the floor, at her astute observation. "Well, there's not much I could do, except my mediocre skills that do not stack up with Servants, and my even worse capacity as a magus."

"You're so eager to take part in the coming conflict." Io said neutrally. "Even though it's preferable for you to stand back."

"I can't just stand back. I have to do something." Shirou declared, pushing himself up with his elbows. He caught the Fundamental's eyes again, seeing her scrutinizing him as if she was deliberating on something. "What?"

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "In the mundane realities, you eventually achieve this far later in life, as you go down your distorted path. In most other realities, you get a head start because something allows you to further embolden your skills."

He finally sat himself up, looking back at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

She kept her narrowed gaze on him, before her hand held Shirou's shoulder. "I can help you, but promise me one thing." Still not fully understanding what she meant, he nodded. "Your eventual path is a damned one, and because of that you end up losing your way. The only thing that will keep you from falling, is the important people around you. Promise you will not keep them at arm's length."

His mouth hung open as he processed her words, before his face steeled themselves. "I promise."

The Fundamental nodded, with her other hand reaching for his head. She held him still, thumb on his forehead, keeping the pose as she muttered something unintelligible to him. Then, her eyes glowed.

 _Pain. Burning. Fire. Swords. Hill. Self. Hammer._ All of those flashed before him, as Io accessed his other realities without much difficulty, causing Shirou to experience a million lifetime existences. Of the fire that claimed him the first time. Of the figure that saved him from the hell on earth. Of his adopted life, futilely training as a magus. Of the night he had died once again. Of his first summon. And subsequent deaths, as he maneuvered through the Grail Wars. Of how he trained, further emboldened by the paradoxical situation; of how his future self's influence strengthened him, despite them coming at odds with one another. Of the surgery. Of the paradise. Of the unrelenting future. And of the desolate wastes that served as his eventual end, as he made his oath with the Will of Humanity.

All of that, in the span of a single second, as he flinched back from the experience. His mind was rattled as they settled back once more, the flashes of his other selves becoming a mere shade in his mind, becoming but a phantom if he were to recall them. So deep in his thoughts rearranging themselves that he didn't realize Saber rushing towards him, her concerning words muffled as she got himself back up. It took a good minute or two; he wasn't exactly sure how long; until his head wasn't spinning anymore, setting himself back before the Fundamental, with Saber beside him.

"What was that?" he asked her, his hand clutching the side of his head. "Is that what happens? What I become?"

The Fundamental nodded, but she placed her hand on his chest, a warm smile forming on her face. "You have a noble ideal, Shirou, but it's what brings you down to hell itself. That is why you promised, to keep those that are dear to you close."

Without realizing, his own hand grasped Io's, holding it briefly. "So they keep me from straying. From… becoming him."

"That's right." She said understandingly. "You are a tragic existence, yet it doesn't have to be that way. You can persevere, with those noble ideals you hold so close to your heart. And with these people holding on to you, you will rise through those that wish to bring you down to hell, with a warm heart and a steeled mind."

The Fundamental stood up, and casually made her way to leave the dojo. "Io." She slowed down, turning to face the auburn haired boy that had his eyes opened. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said, before turning back around.

When the dojo was left with the Master and Servant once again, Saber turned her gaze onto him. "What just happened."

Shirou got himself on his feet, Saber nearby just in case, as he stood there with renewed vigor. "She just helped me out a bit."

"I hope that's what it was." Saber said with concern. "Fundamentals are dangerous beings, even if they're being benevolent."

"I admit, there are drawbacks." He said, brief flashes of his lives going through his head. "But it help us in the long run, I'm sure of it."

"If you say so." Saber said hesitantly. "Are you done for the night?"

"One more round, Saber." He said, returning to his side. "Then we'll call it."

"Very well, Shirou." She said, picking the shinai back up as she went to her side, falling into stance. "Whenever you're ready Shirou."

He looked down to the shinai he held, and dropped it. His Servant raised a brow at what he did, but he didn't notice with his eyes closed. He wracked through his memories, and the Married Blades came to mind. Without a doubt, they were blades that he could call forth easily. But, a part of him wanted to do something else entirely. His eyes opened, landing on his Servant, still eyeing him curiously. _Yes._ He fell into a fencer's stand, and as he envisioned in his mind, the hammer fell on the pin.

" _Trace on._ "

And in his hands was the unnamed scythe that Saber was known for.

"Oh, I see now." Saber said, throwing the shinai away as her own scythe materialized. "That's the kind of Master you are, Shirou."

"It seems so, Saber." He said back with a smirk.

 _ **CLANG**_

An audible sown of metal clashing with one another could be heard from around the Japanese mansion, with those who were familiar with the atmosphere wondering where it came from, unaware of the latest development that had occurred within their alliance.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

i can feel it. the end is near, and it's crazy. it would be my first fic that would actually end, and it's quite the feeling to have, let me tell you guys.

hope ya'll look forward to the eventual events that will happen after we had just experienced the calm before the storm. 'cause trust me, it's gonna be one hell of a ride.

well, enough small talk. hope you guys enjoyed it! R&R if you don't mind, 'cause it'll be awesome!

see you all next time!


	14. The Demon's Incursion

**The Demon's Incursion**

Soft shuffling of cloth and flesh. The engineered ticking of the clock on the wall. The brief chirping of an early bird. Those were the sounds that graced Illya's ears in the early dawn, sat as she was on her futon while her two maids surrounded her, redressing the gauze that was wrapped around the stump that is her arm. Her red eyes slowly looking over where her arm would have been as Sella began tending to it while Leysritt stood behind her waiting patiently, with the blank face Illya has come to expect. She sighed dejectedly, already anxious just to get out of the room she was given, earning another scolding from her strict maid.

"There. All done, Lady Illyasviel." Sella said with an accomplished nod, moving back a bit to give the small girl some needed space.

"Thanks, Sella." She said back with a smile, an earnest one to the surprise of the maid.

"Think nothing of it, Lady Illyasviel. It is our duty to take care of you, even though we are no longer affiliated with the Einzbern clan."

The mood of the small Master darkened, reminded of the layered deception that was laid upon her by the patriarch of the Einzberns. It went without question ever since the revelation of the whole truth that was explained to her by the Fundamental, she all but cut ties with them, even if she hadn't made it official in any shape or capacity. Both Sella and Leysritt had also followed by her decision, whatever it was. She will be forever grateful to them, despite her dismissive words that she sometimes threw their way, fitting the noble persona she had grew up in.

She felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder, her eyes blinking away the blank stare she had, locking onto the short haired maid that had approached her.

"We will always be by your side, Illya." Leysritt declared, her voice still keeping the familiar monotone.

Illya smiled, grateful to the comforting words she got. "I know, Leysritt. Sella. Thank you."

With a returned nod from the both of them, she got off her futon and finally left her room just as the sun crested over the horizon, the two maids following suit behind her as per their usual routine. Walking down the corridor of the Japanese mansion, she was surprised by how much activity there was so early in the morning. Out in the backyard, Saber was dancing to herself, once again following a song that only she could hear. On the rooftop, visible to everyone around, was Archer as she sat gingerly. Her single eye was closed, her hair and clothes swaying with the wind. Sitting on the back porch was the former Tohsaka, still looking extremely exhausted from the previous day's ordeal. The teacher was also sitting right beside her. Assassin, by her order, was trailing behind her brother as he went out to do some grocery shopping. Light snoring was heard as she passed by one of the guest rooms, identifying the last Master in the alliance.

That meant everyone was accounted for, except for the Fundamental.

The albino homunculus made her way towards the porch, sitting on the opposite of the other two that were already there, joining them in watching Saber's silent performance. She leaned in towards the other two. "Looks like you're slowly turning into a Tohsaka, eh? Makiri?"

"Eh?" Sakura turned to the albino, giving the small girl her full attention. She brought her hair into her hands. Close to the roots, her purple hair was giving way to the brunette of her sister's. "Wow. I didn't expect it to go this fast."

She was suddenly turned around, the hands of Fujimura on her shoulders as the teacher narrowed her eyes on the youngest of the Masters. "Your eyes are also turning a bit blue."

"Guess the Tohsaka blood is still strong after all these years. Especially without any vile Makiri to dilute it." Illya commented, ending it with far more venom than she intended. She shook her head before addressing Sakura once more. "Where's the heiress?"

"She doesn't do mornings." Sakura answered apologetically. She made to stand up. "I should prepare for when Senpai gets back."

"No you won't." Sella said sternly, just as Fujimura's hand stopped Sakura. "You are still recuperating, it is wise for you to rest further."

"My maid's right, Sakura." Illya said, reinforcing Sella's words. "I think you should wait until you fully look like Rin."

"Let's hope she just looks like her." Archer said, joining in on the conversation from the roof. "I don't think the world can handle two Rins."

"Archer! Don't be mean to Nee-san!" Sakura responded admonishingly, though the effect was lessened by the giggling of the other two and her own small smile.

"Sella, go wait for Shirou at the kitchen." The maid bowed slightly, before turning to carry out the order given to her.

"Be careful over there! The kitchen is Senpai's sanctuary after all!" Sakura called out, her words followed by the unbecoming giggling of the Teacher.

The giggling simmered down somewhat when she took notice of Illya's frown. "What's wrong, Illya-chan?"

Red eyes glanced over to the brown haired Teacher, lingering for a few seconds before they closed as she sighed, her shoulders slumping. "This is not what I expected when I came here for the Ritual."

"Fed unending lies I take it?" Sakura said, her face adorned with a sad, yet understanding smile.

She scoffed, as the words rang truer than she would have desired. Perhaps she was foolish to have hoped for a more idealistic life, but the life of a magi is a thoughtless one. "I was raised, believing that Father had left me, _betrayed_ me, for Shirou. How some orphan stole him from me. Ever since I was a child, those were the words that were repeated to me And I held on to them, because I had nothing left. It was only when I arrived here that I had doubts. Doubts that Berserker help cement. Doubts, because each day I was here, watching all of you, only shattered the image that was crafted for me."

A somber chuckle escaped Sakura's mouth, as the younger girl no doubt sympathized with the pseudo homunculus. "It is truly disgusting how much lies are used to reinforce the magi's life."

"Then why the hell are you two still here?" the chipper voice shock them once more, reminding them of who else was around them. Archer still sat on the roof, though now she was looking down on them, her eyes narrowed as she glared with an unnerving intensity. "Every single thing I hear about the magi of this world further infuriates me. The magi from ours are nothing like the cretins here. Right Saber?"

Said Servant merely hummed her approval, still engrossed in her performance. Both girls sighed, but it was Illya that answered. "It's not that easy, Archer. For most " _unwanted_ " magi, they'd be disowned by their clans. But for us, though I guess myself _specifically_ , is that that alone is a best case scenario. There's the likelihood that I might still be sought after, to be taken out because I carry with me clan secrets."

"Let them." The green Archer landed in front of them, her descent slowed down by the wind itself as she faced the small older girl. "Let them send their killers, and I'll be sure to send back corpses."

"You'd do that? For me?" she asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"Absolutely!" Archer responded eagerly. "You're Saber's Master's sister. He's done right by us these past few days, _in spite_ of his inexperience. This is the least I myself could do."

"You're planning on staying?" Sakura asked from the other side of the porch, with Fujimura following along the conversation as best as she could.

"Hell yeah! This is a brand new different world. I'd like to see what it's like after all of this. And if I have to face down degenerate magi, then so be it."

"Bold words, Archer." Another voice called out, entering the backyard as the untwintailed Master sat beside her sister. "Are you sure you can face them?"

"Pft. Please, Rin. I've faced literal dragons myself. I stood beside primordial beings and gods. A bunch of mortals thinking they're more than what they are is laughable." Archer said, her elaborate words somehow devoid of arrogance.

"I'm sure Nessaj would be eager to see that himself." The last, unaccounted person joined the fray, stepping out from Shirou's shed as if she owned the place. "You'd be the type of chaotic force he'd have representing him in some way."

Sakura's eyes narrowed to a glare at the approaching Fundamental. "What were you doing inside Senpai's shed, Io?"

The unmasked Scientist merely smiled back at the young girl, not even giving an answer as she made her way towards the porch where the rest were, just in time for Saber to finish her performance. The relatively quiet morning air was immediately filled with Archer and Io's clapping, before it was followed, albeit slowly, by the rest. Said Servant bowed to each and every one of them before she joined them on the porch, sitting between Illya and Rin with her leg draped over the other. "So, it's a bright and early fresh morning. What are our plans?"

They had postponed any sort of talk about their immediate future thanks to how late it was; they were all still growing teenagers after all, and their bodies needed the rest in order to recuperate from the stress they have taken the past week. It was safe to say that they were more mentally exhausted despite being personally involved in some of the incidents and altercations that had happened.

"I think we should move inside for that, don't you think?" Rin suggested, stifling a yawn with a hand. "That way Emiya-kun can listen in while he cooks. Is he back yet?"

" _Yes!_ " they heard his reply from inside the mansion.

"Well then, let's not keep him waiting!" Fujimura excitedly declared, almost jumping off the porch and moving to Illya's side with haste, wrapping the small girl in her arms and rushing inside, briskly followed by Leysritt who had been silent the entire time, content with just standing behind the small homunculus. Io chuckled heartily as she followed behind them, her movements ghostly as if she was floating along.

Rin sighed tiredly while Sakura gave a nervous chuckle at their teacher's antics, while both Servants snickered in amusement. Sakura was about to stand up as well, but a hand around her wrist stopped her. The younger girl seeing Rin's hand holding her, silently stopping her. "Nee-san?" she asked, confusing welling up ever so slightly within her.

The still purple haired girl was pulled into a hug as Rin's arms wrapped around her, Sakura's arms still from how startled she was. " _I miss this._ " She heard Rin whisper.

Sakura released a relaxed sigh, her own lips slowly forming into a smile as her arms wrapped around Rin, returning the hug. " _Me too._ "

Saber and Archer glanced at one another, a smirk adorned on their faces before they went ahead inside, giving the two sisters some alone time.

"Anything interesting, Assassin?" Illya asked, sitting beside the brown haired teacher with Io further next to Fujimura, Leysritt having moved to join Shirou and Sella in the kitchenette.

"Around Master Emiya? No. He went about his grocery shopping without any disturbances." Assassin relayed, standing off to the side of the table. "But Avenger is still loose out there, we could feel his presence on the other side of the city."

"I was wondering what that was." Fujimura commented, her brows furrowed as she recalled the disgusting sensation she felt when she woke up.

Illya turned to the adult, her eyes slightly wide in surprise and horror. "If a mundane like you noticed it, then we truly cannot avoid it any longer."

"Words right out of my mouth, Master." Assassin praised with a nod. His eyes flickered briefly to the two other Servants that had entered the room, smirks still on their faces. "Where are the sisters?" he asked them.

"Enjoying some family bonding." Archer answered as the both of them sat down on one side by themselves. The feline Servant shrugged before he joined his fellow Servants, his surprisingly small size allowed him to fit snugly with them.

"I still can't believe what happened to her." Shirou commented from the kitchen. He then glanced to the living room, catching the eyes of Illya. "To any of you, really."

Illya sighed dejectedly. "Such is the life of magi."

"You know, I kinda get now why the Old Man didn't want to teach me magecraft." Shirou added before he continued on with his cooking.

The small albino scoffed. "If he didn't, you'd be worse off, Shirou."

He nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that's true as well. Man, there's no winning."

" _To walk the path of magi is to walk with death._ " Said a new voice as Rin walked inside the room with Sakura in tow. "That is the harsh truth we all have to live with, whether we want to or not."

Their teacher cringed as the sisters joined them on the table, taking another of the sides. "How was Kiritsugu part of this? I mean, I knew he was involved in shady business; he was a friend of gramps' after all; but all of this magic stuff is just so out of my league."

The older sister shrugged. "From what I've read and heard from Kirei, the _Magus Killer_ wasn't what most magi would ever refer to as a magus. A spellcaster at most He was very pragmatic, and used modern technology that magi would consider barbaric to supplement his jobs. It was because of how damn good he was at his job that they tolerated him at best."

" _Magus Killer_ …" he wondered aloud. "Man, dad was that infamous huh?" Shirou commented as the maids placed the first of many platters on the table.

"It's another reason why he did not want you to learn magecraft, Shirou. He did not want you to be endangered because of his mistakes. He did not want you to bear his sins." Io further explained, shedding more light that the teenagers did not know of.

 _Sins of their fathers_. That was something all of them shared. Frankly speaking, it helped mold them to who they were now. Kiritsugu's reluctance because of his history that led to Shirou's ignorance. Also his failures that led to Illya's indoctrination. Tokiomi's maladjusted form of magi pride that led to Sakura being adopted out of the Tohsaka and into the Matou. And also the thing that Rin held onto as she strived to fill in his shoes, though that was something that she was beginning to taste with disgust thanks to recent revelations. All the while the Servants and Fujimura could only look on from an outsider's perspective.

"Alright kids, enough of that." Fujimura said, hands spread out to comfort them upon noticing the somber turn in their moods.

Rin coughed purposefully, both to regather herself and to draw the attention of everyone else as Leysritt brought out the first of the many entrees onto the table. "Well, shall we get started on what our plans are going to be? I'd like for this whole mess to be done with as soon as possible, _especially_ with some kind of demon loose out there."

"We need to find out if there are any patterns to what Avenger's going to be doing." Shirou voiced out from the kitchen, facing the group as Sella took his place temporarily. "Caster's base of operations is the Temple, but Fuji-nee said Old Man Raiga's men had caught murder upon murder happening over Shinto."

"And there will no doubt be more." The Teacher added, turning the TV on for them, conveniently already on a news channel. She flipped through them, switching from one news channel to another, and they all spoke of one thing; the sudden murders that began cropping up since the night before.

"What happened to them?" Sakura's voice just slightly louder than a whisper as images of the bodies flashed on the screen; looks of complete and utter undeniable terror in their faces, eyes rolled back and mouths opened as wide as they possibly could.

"The Shadow Fiend's modus operandi. And he will get stronger with each soul he consumes." The Fundamental explained to them.

"How strong is he _without_ those souls?" Illya asked with barely concealed worry.

"He's still a demon without them." Saber answered, leaning herself on her arms on the table. She had one teal eye opened, staring right back as the small Master. "And unfortunately, unlike here, they don't have any sort of specific weaknesses to holy or light magics."

A scoff was heard from Rin, the girl shaking her head amusedly. "Well, it's not like any of us are religious."

"Says the girl with crosses on her blouses." Shirou commented a chuckle.

"And likes to wear them on her neck." Sakura added with a smile.

The brunette frowned back at them, earning only shared laughter from the rest of the group thanks to her reddening cheeks. "That's just how I grew up and was raised, ok?!"

When the laughter died down, Archer spoke up to add her own two cents. "Also, unless any of you have some sort of powerful long-range spell, it's best to leave Avenger to me." The other Servants nodded their heads in agreement.

"I feel like I'm not gonna like the reason as to why." Rin said with an ever growing annoyed scowl.

Her own Servant simply smiled back at her. "Let's just say the souls he takes in don't like being inside of him."

"Wait, so if he dies all the souls are released? Isn't that a good thing?" Shirou asked, trying to make sense of the Servant's words.

"Avenger will not go gently into that good night." Assassin answered back, Illya's own red eyes widened at the use of a poem while Fujimura chuckled amusedly. "When the souls are released, Avenger himself will erupt in an explosion of demonic energy. How powerful the explosion depends entirely on how many souls he has consumed."

All the Masters paled at the news. It seemed that every single little thing they learned about Avenger was building atop one another.

"Well, if push comes to shove, _I_ have something I can throw into the mix." Shirou said after swallowing the lump in his throat.

Rin shook her head in disbelief before snapping her head to her fellow Master, looking at him as if the auburn haired boy had grown another head. "What?"

"Ah, yeah, Shirou has something up his sleeve." Saber added while Shirou ignored Rin's flabbergasted and demanding stare.

The ginger haired Archer shrugged, seemingly appeased by the reassurance her fellow Servant gave her. "So yes, unless any of you are snipers, like myself as an Archer-class Servant, or apparently the Master of Saber as well, do **not** take a hit on Avenger, alright?"

Getting a round of nods from the Masters, Archer leaned back away from the table, signaling the end of her contribution. The conversation was put on hold when the last of the dishes were placed on the table, followed by Shirou and the maids joining them. There was some light chatter to fill the sound of clinging and chewing, but nothing picked up thanks to the air that weighed down upon their shoulders. Really, it was a testament's to Shirou's cooking that they could think of anything else, no matter how brief their musings were.

Breakfast eventually came to an end, with the dishes piled in the sink and washed by Sella and Leysritt. With their short respite taken care of, their adjourned meeting was continued.

"So… the King of Heroes…" Rin started, arms crossed on the table with her brows furrowing in building frustration. "has anybody here even seen him already?"

"I have."

All heads turned to Sakura, looks of surprise evident on their faces that **she** of all of them came into contact with them.

"What? When? What happened?" Rin immediately barraged her purple haired sister with questions.

Sakura didn't respond right away, choosing to wait a second before she finally opened her mouth. "He told me to kill myself. More specifically, that I should die now because I won't have the chance later."

Archer chuckled as she leaned in on her hand. "Sounds like a swell guy."

Shirou rolled his eyes, but they centered on his underclassman again, sitting by his side. "It seemed like he knew what was going to happen. Or at least, he was expecting it."

"Not just that, but he knew what you were as well." Illya added with a firm nod.

"And Kirei was under a Servant like that this entire time? That asshole's going to get what's coming to him." Rin said with barely concealed anger. Her hands closing into fists for a few seconds before she released them.

"Temper your rage, Rin. Don't let it control you." The calming words of the Fundamental resounded not only in her heart, but the others as well. Her soothing voice calmed their inner struggles that threatened to burst.

"You're right. Thank you." Rin said back, letting her breath out in gratitude.

"How did Rider fair against Gilgamesh, Io?" Sakura asked, knowing the Fundamental would know more than her regarding their own kind.

The Fundamental turned her head to the youngest girl in the room. "If he wasn't limited by his Servant class, nothing could stand against him."

"Then we leave Gilgamesh to the Fundamentals." Sakura said to the rest with a determined nod. The other masters pondered on the suggestion while Io herself held her gaze onto the young girl with a raised brow.

"That's probably the sanest plan we've come up yet." Illya said with an agreeing nod.

"It makes sense, really." Shirou added, tapping the table with his fingers. "The strongest Heroic Spirit, by virtue of all the treasures he has. If there were anyone to face him, it would be them."

"Hey now…" Io attempted to steer the conversation away from the topic, but the teens were too into their own worlds.

"And it would free the rest of us to deal with the things that we _might_ be able to deal with. It's the perfect plan!" Rin agreed wholeheartedly. She turned to her Servant. "What do you guys think?"

"It's a sound plan, especially when we have them on our side." Archer said, throwing a knowing smirk to Io's way, who pouted in return.

Assassin rolled his eyes at the obliviousness of the teen Masters, and Archer's teasing, he spoke up before Saber could join her fellow Servant. "Is something on your mind, Io?"

She sighed tiredly. "No, there isn't." came her steady reply, as she put her glasses back on her face as her serious façade returned. "Just be careful with forces you do not control."

"Isn't that why you're here?" Sakura asked, tilting her head slightly. "To help us _because_ of the things beyond our control?"

The Fundamental stared back narrowing her gaze behind her glasses. "Touché."

"So I guess that leaves Caster? Especially if we're going under the assumption that the priest is actually in league with him." Shirou voiced, going to the last thing they have yet to talk about. "This is a Servant that took control of Gilgamesh, through his own abilities."

"I was just beginning to forget about him." Rin said as she groaned on the table. "What _can_ we do to him? What was he like alive?"

"An alien, even to us." Archer answered for them. "Although he has no physical training from what I've gathered, his body has a natural resilience to it that still made him a formidable foe for our warriors."

"That's because he was genetically engineered." Io explained. "He wasn't the first to be created, a line of these supposed _'Oracles_ ' that would serve their kings. He's just the last."

"So is there any specific weakness he has? How was he dealt with back at your world?" Illya asked, now fully engrossed in their world the more she learnt of it.

All three Servants shrugged their shoulders. "Resilience?" Lyralei said unsurely.

"Perseverance." Assassin added neutrally.

"Relentless dedication." Saber closed off with a scowl.

All the Masters sighed. "So it's a war of attrition?" Shirou asked back to them.

"Pretty much." Archer replied, before she spared a glance to Assassin. "How is Caster?"

"What do you mean?" said Assassin as he looked back.

"Servants are usually weaker than when they were alive."

"Oh." Assassin nodded in understanding. "He needs to build up the mana around him in order to enact a _False Promise_."

The other two Servants sighed with relief. "Well, that actually sounds manageable."

Rin was the first to cringe at the thought. "You're saying he was way worse alive?"

"Yes." Saber answered for the twintailed Master. "It would have been a lot easier if the Fundamentals helped." She said, giving a side glare to Io.

The scientist merely shrugged in response. "We bear no responsibilities for our counterparts' jurisdiction."

"Uhuh, that sure makes it simple." Saber said back nonplussed.

"So what should we actually do?" Shirou asked with a hint of frustration marring his face. "Because if throwing bodies is the only solution, then we're screwed. We don't _have_ bodies to throw."

"Well…" Rin slowly turned her gaze to the currently silent teacher that had been following along this conversation that she was not a part of.

Said teacher noticed the knowing glance her student was giving her, and shook her head. "I'm not sending gramps' men to their deaths unknowingly." She replied in a seemingly casual tone, though there was an underlying tone that conveyed that she wasn't budging.

"Yes Ma'am." Rin replied, backing off on her rather callous suggestion for the mundane teacher.

"If we deal with him last, at least we can then focus our efforts on him. The Caster-Class Servants are known to be the weaker Servants to be summoned in a Holy Grail War. So he shouldn't be too hard to deal with." Illya said with conflicted feelings.

"Just because he shouldn't be doesn't mean he is." Shirou countered, his own displeasure evident on his face.

"I know that, _Onii-chan_." She groaned with frustration.

"Really, the best course of action is to let the Servants deal with him." Sakura said, offering her own two cents.

"Or, we can use the Artifacts he made." Rin added, remembering one of Assassin's bargaining chips. "You guys used them when you were alive, right?"

"We did." Assassin replied before the other two could. "That's not a bad plan if you find yourselves facing against Caster. I suggest getting a feel of them so you won't stumble on your feet later." He said as he placed his bag of holding back onto the table.

"Wait, you're just giving it all to us?" followed Rin's dumbfounded responses, a sentiment echoed by the other Masters.

Assassin gestured to his fellow Servants. "We don't really have a need for them. Well…"his hand reached inside the bag, and pulled out the small red scythe/sickle hybrid. "With this I'm set."

"But Assassin's right. We don't need them. At least, we don't need the things inside the bag." Archer further elaborated. "Whatever Artifacts Caster might still have with him, is another matter."

Slow nods were received from the Masters. They all then looked at one another, and nodded again to themselves, their vigor renewed with refurbished determination. Then each Master locked eyes with their respective Servants, a conversation exchanged between all of them through their telepathic connection. "Alright." Rin finally spoke up, leaning closer to them on the table. "This is what we're going to do today…"

* * *

"The last time I walked around in the middle of the day, was when you gave me your credit card and I went and bought some clothes for myself." Saber commented as both she and Shirou walked through Fuyuki Central Park.

Shirou shifted his eyes over to his Servant, both to fully attentive to her, and also so he could ignore this gnawing feeling that was welling up inside him as they trekked through the source of his nightmares. The place where he died and was reborn again. The location of the great fire ten years ago. The Master/Servant duo got this side of Shinto to patrol. Such pungent odor of malice emanating from the surrounding landscape, the desolate nature of the grounds would have made his stomach churn if he was baptized by the flames of the raging inferno he walked through.

"Shirou?" he was drawn back to Saber as the Servant looked at him with concern. "You were a little out of it a moment there."

"Its fine." He said, shaking his head. "Just, unpleasant memories. Nothing crazy."

A knowing look appeared on Saber's face, whether it was because she felt the malice radiating from the park, or she got a glimpse of his rebirth, he did not know. That's why a comforting smile appeared on her face, as she pulled the auburn haired boy into a hug. Truthfully, that was the last thing he expected from Saber, as evident by his wide eyes as she rubbed his back comfortably.

"You're right. Its fine." She said back, her voice lower than what he was used to. "As long as you have people you care for around you, and care for you back, it'll always be fine. Don't ever forget them. Don't ever leave them, alright? If there's one thing I ask of you, it's that."

"Wh-what…"

"Cherish them, Shirou." Saber continued. "They will make your life, no matter how long or short, worth it."

They parted ways, though her hands still held onto his shoulders. Shirou breathed out in relief, as some kind of weight he had was partially lifted off of him. He then met Saber's comforting smile with his own. "Thanks Saber."

"No problem, _Master_." She said with a hint of amusement, the light smirk forming just for a moment on her face.

The pair continued on in their path, going along the outer rim of the park before they circled deeper inside. The park was, as expected, eerily quiet. No signs of life from what they could detect themselves, not another person in sight or hearing, not even a semblance of fauna as the park was also devoid of animals. The flora itself wasn't immune, judging by how dead most of it looked. Truly, aside from the history of the park itself, they really wouldn't be expecting anything in their patrol here. Which is why the sound of light snoring stood out to them.

"Looks like it's your _friend_ , Shirou." Saber said, noticing the source of the snoring before Shirou himself could. Immediately his mind went to the few people he would consider friends. Considering the situation he knew Issei was in, he hoped the Student Council President was still at the temple, despite serving as Castle's base of operations. He hadn't seen Mitsuzuri in a while either, and hoped it wasn't her as well. When he finally saw the familiar wavy hair, he knew who it was.

The both of them approached the passed out teenager that was sleeping on the park bench. The snoring was accompanied by a hiccup here and there. The womanizer he was hesitating to call a friend at the moment had seen better days; clothes dirtied and slightly tattered, with Shinji himself looking the most disheveled Shirou has seen him. Shirou also couldn't help but notice the smell of alcohol lingering around Shinji, followed with him realizing the empty cans of cheap store bought beer that was littered around the bench. He couldn't help but cringe as he closed the distance, lowering himself a bit and resting a hand on Shinji's shoulder.

"Yo, Shinji." He nudged the wavy haired boy, whose eyes began fluttering open immediately.

"Emiya?" he slurred response was slow, but Shinji's eyes landed on Shirou. "Emiya! You're not gonna believe what happened!"

The deep smell of alcohol coming from Shinji's breath did little to alleviate the situation, especially with Shinji's still inebriated condition. "What happened?" Shirou asked.

The intoxicated teenage sat himself up clumsily, almost slipping off from his shaky hands. "This guy, I don't know who. He felt like Rider! He told me to leave, so I did! And then, the house disappeared!"

"What?" Shirou spared a glance to his Servant, seeing a knowing look on her face before he looked back at Shinji.

"Yeah! It's a crater now! And best of all! That disgusting thing is dead!"

If it weren't for Io sharing the sisters' story, he likely would not have understood what Shinji meant. "Your grandfather's dead?"

"Yeah, without a doubt!" Shinji's face contorted into anger and disgust as his familial connection was reminded to him. "Now I'm free! Free!"

"That's great, Shinji." He approached, bringing Shinji's hand around his shoulder. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

" _You think that's wise?_ " Saber asked through their telepathic connection. " _He doesn't exactly have the best of histories, especially with you lot._ "

" _It'll hopefully help everyone move on if we bring him back_." He replied as they began making their way back. " _From what Io said, Shinji was as much of a victim thanks to their grandfather. It doesn't excuse what he did…_ "

" _I understand. Let's get moving then._ " Saber said, moving at their flank, making sure the two would be under her protection.

* * *

"Tch."

"I can't read minds, Rin." Archer commented atop the skyscraper they both stood on, the winds blowing their hair up.

"Well, at least I can give Shinji a piece of my mind soon." Rin said as her foul mood was slightly assured.

"You sure the Master of Saber is going back to his mansion?" Archer asked from her perch.

Rin nodded in reply. "Where else? From what you told me, Shinji said a Fundamental destroyed their home. The morning news supports what happened. There's nowhere else I know where Emiya-kun might go to drop Shinji off."

"Maybe he's dropping the boy at your place?" Archer suggested with an amused smirk on her face.

An amusement that was not shared by her Master. "Please don't even entertain such a thought, Archer."

"But it's still a possibility."

"He's never even been to my house before."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't know where you live, Rin." The Green Archer finally turned to catch Rin's cyan eyes with her own, chuckling when she saw the building frustration her Master was going through.

"Please, Archer. Just don't." Rin replied carefully, trying to think of better thoughts to settle her mind.

"Alright, fine." The Servant said as she turned back to face the cityscape, listening to the goings on of the entirety of the city through the winds she projected.

Rin crossed her arms over her chest and began tapping her foot irritably on the concrete rooftop. "Did you find Avenger yet?"

"No." Archer answered. "The unfortunate thing about being able to _see_ everything with the wind, is that you can't really see _energies_. Him disguising himself as a human obviously made it difficult for me. If he was killing anyone right now, it would've been easy, but my guess is that he's taking a break."

"A break? Really? From murdering?" Rin asked in irritated disbelief.

"That's all I got, Rin." Archer added with a noncommittal shrug.

Rin sighed as her palm met her face. "I honestly thought finding a demon would be the easy part."

"Nothing is ever easy when you're dealing with demons, Rin." Archer said, glancing behind to meet Rin's gaze again. "Just a word of advice."

"I'll take it to heart." She answered with a displeased frown. The frown shifted into a somber one, as she recalled the conversation that transpired from what Archer had relayed to her. "What do you think happened to him?"

"Considering the fact that it seemed like the park was the one affecting him, I have one guess, and one guess only Rin." Archer replied, not taking her eye off the cityscape. "I thought you knew that already."

"I assumed, based off of what he said back at the church. I just didn't realize the fire played an integral part in his life." She said with concern, biting the edge of her thumb.

"Do you care for him?"

"Of course!" Rin rapidly blinked her eyes, a tinge of red forming on her cheeks, shifting her gaze way from her Servant. "He's important to Sakura. He's the reason why she's even remotely functional."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Archer remarked with a pleased smirk, but it disappeared just as quickly. "Saber said the same thing to him of what I'm going to say to you. Keep him close. You, Sakura. Even the homunculus."

"Not Fujimura-sensei?" Rin wondered about the unmentioned adult.

"Aside from the small Master, she's the closest thing he has to family. An older sister figure to him. Despite her flaky nature, she knows him. She probably already knows how much this is beyond her control, which is why she encourages him and Sakura to be together, partially so she wouldn't be alone in being there for him."

The Master turned away from her Servant, shifting around uncomfortably, not seeing Archer return back to her post. She still kept biting her thumb, grimacing at the pain but ignoring the small trickle of blood that was now running down her hand. There were so many things wrong with her life now, ever since the start of the Holy Grail War. She was cursing her father for leading her down this path, and also for putting Sakura through the living hell she had to endure. And now, the boy who acted as Sakura's strongest pillar seemed to also be destined for destruction. Her eyes trailed to where Fuyuki Central Park was, thinking of him. Then thinking of her.

To walk the path of the magus is to walk with death. And it was never truer than at that very moment of realization.

* * *

"Well that place was boring. Why is it so empty?"

"Well, classes are suspended for the moment, because of the _terrorist attacks_." Sakura looked to the small Master beside her as they exited the empty campus with a concealed Servant backing them. For the most part their trek was done in a comfortable silence, with a question here or there coming from Illya in regards to the place they called home.

"Where else should we go? There's nothing much going on in the district." Illya asked, her boredom still displayed on her face.

"Don't say that, Illya-chan. This is a demon we're talking about. He's probably hiding in plain sight." Sakura said back with a slight frown.

"I bet the others are having a more interesting time." Illya said bitterly, trying to cross her arms on instinct only remembering that she had lost her right arm. Her mood turned even sour, as she held the gauzed stump with her only hand.

The apparently younger of the two noticed this, empathizing with the girl's frustration. "The Fundamentals would be able to recreate your arm, Master." But it wasn't her that comforted Illya.

The Servant that had silently followed them voiced his thoughts, reminding them of the omnipotent beings that they have come to know these past day (or week in Sakura's case, thanks to Rider.) He was still invisible thanks to his Presence Concealment, and Sakura herself would have forgotten about the Servant if not for the fact that she was patrolling with Illya.

"I don't know." She replied, sounding quite unsure of herself. "They already said they'd make a new body for me and both Sella and Leysritt. On a _whim_. I'd love to get my arm back, but it was my mistake. My _naivety._ "

"You want to remember it." Assassin commented, his neutral tone not indicating is stance on the matter.

"That's part of growth, right? And if I've learned anything from taking part in this Ritual, is that I have much more room to grow."

At this, the feline Servant chuckled audibly. "You sound just like my son."

"Does he have a legend as well?" Sakura asked, hoping to steer the conversation into a more uplifting tone.

"Most likely. He followed after my footsteps, just like how I did with my father." The Servant told them.

"Sounds like bounty hunting was a serious business." Sakura commented with a smile.

"It was when you're me." He calmly boasted. "I've often had bounties on my own head by other bounty hunters because I was putting them out of jobs."

Illya let out an impressed whistle. "It seems like I got quite the Assassin."

"I wouldn't say that." The Servant said humbly. "There were other Heroes who would be better as Assassins. Hell, I'm still surprised that Saber's even a Saber at all."

"Right, Berserker called her Assassin that one time." She glanced behind her, to where Assassin would be if he weren't concealed. "Honestly, I never got any Assassin vibes from her. She seems like she's too normal."

"Are you saying I'm not normal, Master?"

"You're a cat person, Assassin." She said with an amused smirk. The Servant responded with an amused chuckle himself. She then turned to Sakura, who had been smiling herself during the exchange. "Where are we going?"

"The Shopping District. That's our last stop before we head back." The taller girl then turned to Assassin. "Was there really nothing this morning when you were with Senpai?"

"As I've said earlier, Avenger's presence was centered over at the Shinto side of Fuyuki. The Shopping District was as clear as it can be." Assassin's words sent relief washing over Sakura.

"Well then let's hurry along. I'm getting bored with this complacency." Illya said, walking off faster, causing Sakura to jog up to her.

The trek didn't take them long, as it was only a few minutes of walking from the school itself to reach the Shopping District. A bustling community of modern merchants and traders, filled with the surrounding people that breathe life into their stream. This was something that Illya had never experienced in her sheltered life, all completely foreign to her, just like the country she was in. She was putting a lot of her willpower to not show it on her face, but whether Sakura didn't notice it or chose to ignore it she did not know.

A gasp. It wasn't loud, but they heard it, as the entire district had gone silent. A few more from different people around. They all felt it. Like a beat of a heart. A pulse. Both girls glanced at each other, worry and trepidation sinking in the pits of their stomachs. They felt a hand on each of their shoulders, as the invisible Servant no doubt felt it too. Nothing else needed to be said. Avenger had appeared. And he was _here._ Where exactly, _that_ is what they need to find out. And fast, because the longer they take, the more people will die.

"Should we split up?" Sakura asked as they began walking faster, careful not to alarm the people who had gone back to their business.

"Considering the fact that we don't have a way of contacting one another, no." the homunculus replied. "Assassin, can you detect him?"

They felt his hand hold onto theirs. "Follow me." They didn't really have a choice, considering his hold on them, but they offered no resistance as he led them through the crowd. Deeper into the district, maneuvered the many stalls and shops, eventually turning into an empty alleyway between one of the many buildings within the district. The aura that seemed like the rest of the people were ignoring was palpable to them, coming off from inside one of the buildings they were beside.

"Are we really just rushing in?" Sakura asked, apprehensive of their next movements.

"The others would've felt it too. And Archer should be on her way with Rin right now." Illya explained, though she too didn't sound too sure of herself.

"Your orders, Master." The albino girl looked to her now revealed Servant, seeing his small form standing beside her.

Seeing her Servant quelled the worry in her heart, giving a nod to him as her hand combed through her hair, pulling two strands of it. With the silent order, Assassin pulled out his man catcher and pistol, kicking the door down as she rushed inside, with Illya and Sakura following behind him. An empty derelict house that was ignored in by the bustling community, the rushed through the abandoned building, up a flight of stairs to the floor above. There was only one room, and they saw it.

The disguise he used was perfect. _Too_ perfect. Skin paler than Illya's, deep black hair combed down to his head. A bright maroon dress pants and jacket, over a black shirt held by a red tie. His eyes glowed with a shade deep like blood. He looked like the modern depiction of a devil figure. But there was a reason why they all felt that pulse. His face, something akin to a scar from one cheek to the other, going through his mouth. His left hand, shedding its human appearance, displaying the jagged demonic limb. His bright red fingers, long and sharp like knives, dripping with blood. And worst of all to them; the smile he presented to them.

" _Gondar! It's good to see you again! I do quite enjoyed what you did to Caster before you left!"_ the genuine compliment did not sit well with the addressed Servant, gripping his weapons tighter.

Illya was still speechless, being in the presence of the demon. It took her a good second before she gathered herself and glared at the demonic Servant, turning her hair into the familiars she used, as two bird-like constructs now flew around her. Sakura however was speechless for a different reason. Her two toned eyes weren't even acknowledging Avenger. They were on his latest victim.

"Mitsuzuri-senpai!"

Her upperclassman, on the floor with her back against the wall, missing her left arm just right below the elbow, and her entire right leg. Five distinct holes were on her abdomen, caused by the knife-like fingers of Avenger. Her clothes were tainted red with her own blood. But worst of all, was the silent anguish present on her face. Close to what the victims of Avenger showed, as if she was slowly turning into a husk. The wrapping around her mouth prevented her from speaking, but Sakura could see the pleading look in her upperclassman's eyes.

"Oh man, you know her?" Illya asked, seeing the trouble that could brew. Personal feelings would always get in the way of what they need to do. She would know, after all.

" _Oh, how splendid._ " The demon commented, his voice echoing through their souls. " _I always do_ _ **love**_ _a tragic story._ " There was a prickling timbre that they heard the more he spoke.

A loud shattering gunshot echoed in the room, as Assassin took his first shot, staggering Avenger back a step, and also drawing the demon's attention to him. "Like old times, Nevermore."

Avenger smiled an inhuman smile, with the scar that went across his face opening along with his face, the imagery of an elongated mouth that stretched as far as he wanted, rows of razor-sharp teeth that were as black as obsidian. " _Like old times._ "

Illya's second Servant rushed towards the demon, plunging his man catcher onto the demon's disguised neck, pushing Avenger back again another step as he was leveling his pistol to the demon's abdomen, but the knife-like fingers wrapped around his hand. The smaller Servant was thrown across the room, landing smoothly with a back roll as he pulled out another weapon from his bag of holding; a featureless glaive that matched the pistol's design. An adequate replacement as Avenger shattered the man catcher with his hand. Orbs of dark maroon energy began orbiting his human hand, before they were flung at Assassin's direction, dodged effortlessly as Assassin retaliated in kind with his pistol, whose bullets were shrugged off by the demon.

A far stronger force staggered Avenger to the side, his red eyes trailing down to see a white outline shape of a giant sword piercing his entire chest. He then turned his gaze to the small albino girl, Assassin's Master, seeing the small one glaring at him with one more familiar flying around her.

"Quickly, get her!" Illya ordered the younger girl who was already on the move.

Avenger sighed disappointedly, his brief enjoyment with Assassin interrupted by the small girl, though he had to admit that he was amused at their attempts at saving his latest victim. He was about to send another orb of energy at the purple haired girl, but was stopped as another round of shots came onto him from Assassin. He growled at the offending Servant, his knife-like hand pooling infernal energies, ready to erupt onto the feline Servant. But another sword struck him, going through his demonic hand and pinning him to the wall. He couldn't help but chuckle, as the Assassin-Class Servant left the room, following behind the girls as they escaped with his victim.

" _Time to un_ _ **leash hell.**_ " Avenger said aloud, as his human disguise began disintegrating.

Both teenagers had exited the alleyway, with Sakura still helping her upperclassman along. The entire district, though, seemed to be devoid of people, unlike a few minutes before.

"Looks like backup is here." Illya commented upon noticing the cleared out district, as she plucked two more hair strands.

"I worry how destructive Avenger would be though." Sakura said, looking back at the building they had run off from.

Her worry was warranted, as part of the wall inside the alleyway was destroyed, with some kind of explosion erupting from inside. Assassin arrived from the smoke that was caused, standing between them as where Avenger was. He took note of the empty district as well.

"Let's get moving." Assassin told them. "This place is not ideal for fighting Avenger."

Another explosion erupted just a foot away from Assassin, dark red briefly shading the entire district with its color. An infernal chuckle bellowed around the area, with the group taking it as a sign to keep moving. Another explosion, appearing at their direction, halted them in their tracks. The girls turned around, their eyes landing on the true form of Avenger as Assassin held his glaive and pistol at the ready.

Easily doubling Archer's height, not taking into account of the fact that the demon was floating, his body made up of obsidian jagged blades that were interconnected with one another. His torso, completely hollow, with some form of reddish energy coating his surroundings with its light. Occasional wails of the dead were sometimes audible, as their visages would appear within Avenger's torso. The demon's head, looking more like a single piece than the connecting blades of the rest of his body, but the distinct angular for of it further proved his inhuman nature. His large hands, glowing red not unlike the sickle that Assassin took, the sound of blades tracing against one another as he stretched his knife-like fingers.

" _Come no_ _ **w… You**_ _think it_ _ **will b**_ _e that e_ _ **asy?**_ " Another layer would be interspersed every time he spoke, as if another person was speaking.

"Go! We got this!" Assassin for all intents and purposes ordered his Master and Sakura.

"We?" Illya asked as her familiars took the shape of swords once more.

"Yes." Just as he replied, the sound of a screaming hawk, filling the midday sky as a mystical green arrow came and crashed onto Avenger's form. Another arrow, not as flashy, but just as effective, tearing through the Servant, who still seemed unfazed despite being pushed back again and again. "We. Now Go!"

The girls nodded, with Illya throwing her familiars one last time before she helped Sakura in dragging her upperclassman. They ignored the conflict that they were leaving, Illya silently hoping that Assassin wouldn't fall like Berserker did just yesterday. More arrows came overhead, with streaks of green and red lighting the sky for a brief moment followed with the audible contact of the projectile and its target. The farther they got from where the conflict was, the more people they started seeing, all giving them odd looks as they rushed past them, ignoring their suspicious and concerned advances. The Fundamentals said that they would not waste time for subtleties? Well apparently neither would they.

The number of people began to dissipate once more as they neared the end of the district, rushing across the road as they exited the area and landing unceremoniously on an empty bench. Sakura was careful not to put Ayako in more pain than she was already in. The younger girl then remembered of another specific predicament Ayako was in, and began untying the cloth around the older girl's mouth. Tired breaths came right after she was freed, her exhausted eyes looking over Sakura with relieved gratitude.

"Ah, Sakura… it's good to… see you…" the dismembered upperclassman wheezed out in pain with a smile on her face.

"Don't worry, Mitsuzuri-senpai. You're okay now, everything will be alright." The younger girl said, trying to comfort them.

"Don't go promising things now. At least wait till Rin's here." Illya said, her body turned back to where the conflict was, seeing flashes of destruction in the horizon.

"I'm here!" came the voice of the twin-tailed Master, running towards them with her circuits flaring still. Her eyes only scanned the two for a moment, before they landed on her classmate, widening at her wrecked appearance. "Ayako…"

The brunette turned her eyes upwards, seeing the cyan-eyed girl with what looked like melancholy. "Tohsaka-san… always knew… something was up about you…"

"Hey, don't talk. Just rest, leave it all to us." Rin looked away from her friend, her eyes landing on something Ayako couldn't see. "Saber, tell Emiya-kun about the situation."

"Already did, Rin." The Servant replied, with her form beginning to glow as the effects of a Command Spell were issued. "Let's go, girls."

"Go on ahead." Rin told the rest of them, earning a perplexed look from her younger sister and a frown from the other. "I'll wait with the others."

"Where's Senpai, Nee-san?"

"With Archer." There was a hint of annoyance conveyed, one similar to what she felt at the beginning of the Ritual. "Turns out he wasn't lying."

"You can thank Io for that." Saber remarked as she brought Illya and Sakura around one arm, and holding onto Ayako with the other. "See you back at base." Were her final words before disappearing with the girls, leaving Rin alone outside of the Shopping District.

Rin brought her hands to her face, figuratively wiping off the trepidation that was building up within her. When her eyes saw the ongoing conflict, one could see her renewed determination, now laced with a tranquil rage. "Archer, tell me what's going on." She spoke aloud through their telepathic connection, as she began walking towards the district, ready to help the Servants and Shirou in any way she can.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

that, honestly, was the most annoying writer's block i've gotten. like holy shit dudes. that entire segment, of them going through their plans? that was tough for me to write. nothing came to me. but, i got it done, and once i passed it, everything was better.

fun fact, i actually forgot to include Lancer into that conversation, but decided on using him for later.

hope ya'll had a blast reading this one! things are gonna get even more hectic

see you all next time!


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